Southern Spice

With a slice of Tamil Nadu camping in the city, expect a cultural feast

A maternal uncle of mine once passed on to me a lesson for life while we were digging into a plate of piping hot Momos somewhere in East Delhi, many years back. 8220;If you want to know a place, start with its food,8221; he had said. It8217;s worked well for me so far. Which is perhaps why I let the whiff of sambhar guide my way the moment I enter Leisure Valley in Sector 10 that8217;s currently hosting Poompuhar, a cultural extravaganza from the state of Tamil Nadu till October 19. Tucked away in the farthest corner, right off the stage is Ram Prasad Restaurant. For those of you who have been to the Tamil Nadu House in Delhi8217;s Chanakyapuri will be familiar with the name and its USP. For those who are not, it8217;s one of those quaint places you get authentic flavours without regional twists! 8220;It8217;s for the first time we are in Chandigarh too,8221; remarked one of the managers at the food stall which brings in a potpourri of south Indian namkeens and a live cooking counter. But if your South Indian namkeen vocabulary ends at just the crispy 8216;Murruku8217;, you need to sample traditional treats here. There8217;s the 8216;Thirumelveli Halwa8217;, 8216;Athirasam8217; quite like our gud but made from palm tree juice and ginger, a Chikki look-alike from Kovilpatti, Banana chips from Nagercoil, Seedai and Thatai, both savouries. Since many may be alien to the tastes, they are generous with tasting sessions! And while you are there tuck into authentic South Indian dishes that bring in the best of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian fare. There8217;s traditional Chicken Chettinand, Madurai Idli, Uthapam, Mutton Varuval, Chicken Fry, Fish Fry8230;a lip-smacking treat indeed. And it8217;s all pocket-friendly 8212; prices start as low as Rs 30 to Rs 60 for a dish.

Speaking of all things tasty, also present with their kitty of milk products is the Tamil Nadu Co-operative Milk Producers8217; Federation with their brand 8216;Aavin8217;. Here you can stock up on the South Indian Khoya they call it Khova priced at Rs 50 for 250 gms. But if you really want to sample an authentic sweet, then do try the 8216;Mysorepak8217; Rs 45 for 250 gms. 8220;We have also brought along ghee and our specialty badam milk powder along with UHT milk that can be kept without refrigeration for 120 days,8221; mentioned Jai Prakash, assistant general manager marketing with the Federation.

And what8217;s a state visit without its handlooms. At Poompuhar, there8217;s a special stall by Co-optex that brings in handloom sarees. There are sarees in Kancheepuram silk, Arni silk, Salem silk, Coimbatore cotton et al. 8220;It8217;s festive time and you8217;ll find art silk and printed silk sarees as well,8221; informed manager R Jebaraj at the venue. Also finding place are carpets, bedcovers and cotton shirts for men. Down the line is the handicrafts exhibit with life-size sculptures of Ganesha in granite, wood and stone along with Thanjavur paintings, another speciality of Tamil Nadu. 8220;Diwali is not too far and that8217;s why we brought in Ganesha idols,8221; spoke manager Hemalata listing out the fabrics, both in cotton and in silk and some with embroidery too. The highlight here are also the three-piece unstitched cotton suits which come complete with dupattas. For the rest, plan a visit.