More than idli!

Experience the diverse and delicious food of Tamil Nadu at Tamil Nadu House in Chanakyapuri, Delhi.

Some meals stay etched in your heart. I, for one, cannot forget the wonderful lunch I had in Coimbatore a while ago. The table in front of me groaned with an array of vegetable dishes. Then came a rich meat curry, masala-coated fish and a fiery chicken preparation. It reminded me that the food of Tamil Nadu was as diverse as it was delicious.Some meals stay etched in your heart. I, for one, cannot forget the wonderful lunch I had in Coimbatore a while ago. The table in front of me groaned with an array of vegetable dishes. Then came a rich meat curry, masala-coated fish and a fiery chicken preparation. It reminded me that the food of Tamil Nadu was as diverse as it was delicious.

In the North, Tamil food is largely thought of as vegetarian. The State has many vegetable dishes, no doubt, but it revels in its rich non-vegetarian fare, too. And that includes everything from goat and fish to chicken, lamb, rabbit, and what have you.

So, for lunch at the Tamil Nadu House canteen last week, I was rubbing my hands in glee. I had been there some 15 years ago, and remember the wonderful meal replete with hot meat curries. The catering service has changed now but I soon discovered that the food is as tasty as it used to be.

Tamil Nadu House in Chanakyapuri is minimalistic, neat and cool. I ordered the vegetable thali, a dosa and three non-vegetarian dishes to be had later; it cost me  ₹1,700. The vegetable thali came laden with little bowls, rice and roti at the centre, and a papad resting on it.

The rasam — hot and spicy, with a lip-smacking tangy taste — whetted my appetite. The sambar was excellent. I had some of that with the rice, alongside the poriyal — a dish of mixed vegetables. The kara kuzhambu — a thick, tomato-based dish with juicy pieces of drumstick in it — was superb. There was dal in another bowl, and I loved the small helping of the dessert — a thick rava payasam. I also tasted their signature dish, the ghee roast.

Later at home, I had the mutton chukka for dinner, and enjoyed it hugely. The meat pieces were soft, and its thick spicy coating was aromatic and hot, but did not hurt the palate. The chicken biryani was surprisingly light — and I loved the aroma of the rice and the whole spices. The chicken Chettinad, as one would expect, had the heady flavours of peppercorns in it, and I lapped it up with a piece of roti.

For most Delhi residents, there was a time when food from Tamil Nadu meant what was casually referred to as ‘idli-vada-dosa’. Now there are scores of eateries with detailed vegetarian breakfast menu, and quite a few that offer mouth-watering vegetarian and non-vegetarian main courses.