The story of modern rum, much like its colour, is a dark one. Closely connected with slavery across the Americas, rum was mass produced in the sugarcane fields of Southern USA and the Caribbean and therefore found its way into many of the local cuisines. Think rum in steaks, to cure fish, in a batter or in a marinade and the likes. The deep-coloured alcohol lends a delicate sweetness and bitterness to any dish and also found its way into many desserts and sweet, comforting drinks across the globe. In Ancient India we drank shidhu — a rum-like drink produced by the fermentation and distillation of sugarcane juice, as mentioned in Sanskrit texts, and the boozy beverage has definitely been around for quite some time! This World Rum Day (July 9) — the annual, global celebration of rum and distilleries — we take a look at rum-based dishes in namma Chennai, that are sure to pique your curiosity.
Steaky wonder
Using rum to marinate a steak or adding it into the final searing or sauce is a very regular practice across the Western world; here in Chennai, however, celebrity chef Koushik S aka The Mad Chef — who we recently met at Goldman’s Steakhouse, Anderson Road — has decided to bring in World Rum Day with a special rum-laden steak recipe. Soaking a steak, marinating it for almost two weeks in rum, orange peel, star anise and a couple of other spices; the recipe then calls for a pan searing with the same ingredients going into the sauce with butter. The steak will be made available from Monday. INR 999+
Savoury delight
Rum in desserts is as common as rum in hot chocolate, but rum in a savoury dish is something we’re sure you haven’t come across that often. We were therefore surprised to come across this savoury Chicken Cafreal from Above Sea Level at The Raintree Hotel, Alwarpet. This typical Goan dish inspired by Portuguese cuisine is a mint and coriander infused chicken, flavoured with spices like cloves and a generous amount of rum. Cooked on a griddle with baby potatoes and tomatoes and served with onion rings, the dish is the perfect mix of Konkani and Portuguese flavours. INR 799+
Hubba bubba
The Rum Baba is a popular cake with both Polish and French ancestries and while the debate of its origins rage on, the demand for this sponge cake soaked in rum-flavoured syrup is growing by the day, globally. This version on the popular cake at C Salt, Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa, called Baba-Hu-Rum adds a citrusy twist to the recipe by adding orange to the rum syrup, while the final garnishing of whipped cream and fresh fruits ensures it’s a refreshing summery dessert. INR 2,200 per kg.
Magic in a jar
This molten dark chocolate rum mousse in a jar is T Nagar-based restobar Dank’s take on the classic rum and chocolate combination. With coffee, heavy cream, whipped cream, custard cream, chocolate cookies and dark chocolate flakes, this layered dessert jar is indulgent to say the least. Called The Magic Potion, the fact that it is a chilled dessert adds a lot to the final mouth feel. That and the complementing flavours of the layered mousse, custard cream and chocolate cream — make this a sure winner! INR 325+
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