Indian food wisdom is something that gets overlooked especially when it comes to home-style fare. What is often dismissed for mom’s or grandma’s cooking, alluding to simple fuss-free food, carries layers of technique, naturally incorporating seasonal produce, climatic conditions and sustainable practices all within one humble dish.
Akin to most regional food, cuisine from the Telugu states has always been a treasure trove of secrets, safeguarded and cherished by generations of home cooks. Every family has a different way of cooking, often giving even a boring vegetable its own zingy twist, be it with a variation in tempering, combination of spices, or just a simple garnish.
This week, we checked out a plush restaurant that puts these seemingly simple yet sophisticated recipes at the forefront. Adi, at The Leela Hyderabad is a welcoming experience from the get go. An enrapturing art piece by Ramesh Gorjala had us mesmerised at the entrance, and going in, we found more stunning works by Laxman Aeley and Thota Vaikuntam adorning the walls. As a cloudburst lashed out outside, gigantic brass oil lanterns beckoned us gently.
The space serves elaborate Telugu thalis and Hyderabadi set menus for lunch. Dinners are a relaxed affair, with a complete a la carte menu. The restaurant is spearheaded by Chef Meera Girija Tadimeti and Chef Kulsum Begum, serving their family recipes passed down from generations.
Having ‘tiffins’ or lighter dishes is customary in numerous Telugu homes, and so we began our meal with the Dibba rotte, served with paanakam, a sweet jaggery-based side dish. Crispy on the outside and fluffy inside, we paired ours with a host of house-made podis and chutneys served in a masala box. Proportions, grinding, fermentation techniques and spreading the batter evenly at the perfect temperature — all come together to form the perfect bite, we are told.
A super elaborate Sampporna bhojanam thali followed — including podis, chutneys, papads, curries and thick set curd to finish it all up. The papads, or vadiyalu, are sourced from women entrepreneurs in Srikakulam, serving varieties local only to the region. One such variety is the sesame papad, serving a little lesson in sustainability. Made from leftover pulp after extracting oil from the seed, the deliciously nutty papads are enough to make a bowl of plain dal rice exciting.
From the Hyderabadi menu, we tried the Kacchi gosht ki biryani which teemed with flavours in every grain of rice. For dessert, we dug into a creamy hand-pounded mixture of Gajar ka halwa that was divine, ending our meal on a supremely comforting note.
INR 4,000 for two. At Banjara Hills.
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