Chennai is abuzz with Madras Week celebrations and Chennaiites are happy to celebrate the birthday of Madras. Though there are a wide range of activities, since food is an expression of culture, GRT Radisson is celebrating Madras Week by organising a food festival which captures the cuisine of Madras of yesteryear.
They have dished out delicacies for tiffin and dinner. Executive chef Vijayakumar, who takes utmost care to prepare the dishes, says that delicacies like pidi kozhukattai, arisi uppuma, Madras masala dosai, paruthi pal are still much sought after.
Since I opted for tiffin, I was served panagam for a welcome drink. I am always comfortable with idlis and I was served the fluffy white rotund stuff. It tasted heavenly and I was given a shock by the chef when he told me that it was mochai idlis.
Again, kuzhi paniyaram hogged my attention .and I was served one plate. My innate shyness did not allow me to ask for an encore.
Madras masala dosai was the one prepared by Madrasis decades back, disclosed the chef. It is different from the present day ones where we fry the masala on the tava every time before stuffing it inside the dosai.
Arisi uppuma welcomed me gleefully. The instant pidi kozhukattai with fried grated coconut tasted different.
You must think that I am a glutton hogging shamelessly. But the array of dishes tempted me and I was surrounded by  delicacies.
It was thrilling to see two madisar mamis dishing out spicy hot onion bhajjis from a live counter. The mamis are present to whip up authentic dishes to satisfy food buffs, declares Vijayakumar.
Though there were several other tiffin items that enticed me, I rounded off with hot paruthi pal.
The chef insisted that I sip one ounce at least. To his surprise, I drank a whole glass at one stroke. Paruthi pal is a storehouse of vitamins and proteins which is made of paruthi pal and coconut milk, with jaggery, chittharathai garnished with fried cashews and raisins.
I walked home to burn the calories as I had consumed calorie-rich content.
Venue
GRT Radisson
GST Road
Time
Tiffin: 3.30 p.m. - 7.30 p.m.
Dinner: 7.30 p.m. – 10 p.m.
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