Radisson Blu’s Madhyadesh fest brings flavours from central India to Kochi

Radisson Blu’s Madhyadesh fest brings flavours from central India to Kochi

In a country with numerous culinary traditions like India, it’s really intriguing how one particular cuisine becomes popular. Bored of the Punjabi cuisine—Kochi’s favoured Indian fare (other than Malayali, of course)—I’m intrigued by the flyer of a Madhyadesh food festival.

As I walk into Radisson’s Keshia, executive chef Varghese Joy Thoppil fills me in, “Madhyadesh will feature 30 dishes from six states including Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, and Orissa. There’ll be two live counters during the dinner service and an assortment of a dozen desserts.”

He also explains that each dish would be flagged so that the diner gets to relate to the gastronomic preferences of each state.

Mix ‘n’ match
The first dish on the spread proves that my taste buds are in for some hitherto unfamiliar experiences. Balancing saltiness and sourness at the same time, dubki kadi (made of gram flour and curd) from Chhattisgarh is paired with onion fritters by chef Biju Vasu.

As I wonder about the well-blended dish, Biju reveals that he spend a lion’s share of his nine-year-long career in properties located in Nagpur and Hyderabad. 

As the first sour (think tamarind-induced) note of the fish dish chepala pulusu ebbs away, a spicy aftertaste kicks in denoting the delicacy’s Andhra Pradesh origin.

 “We do reduce the use of certain ingredients like mustard oil to make it suitable for the Malayali palate,” informs Biju. Not a fan of eggplant,

I’m enticed by the flavoursome gravy (thickened by coconut and cashew) of Maharashtrian bharli vangi.

I regret that the desserts like mawa bati and basundi are not yet ready as the fiery khosa murgi from Orissa leaves me sweating.

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