Although you have tasted various cuisines and variations of the dishes within said cuisines, there are always a few dishes that end up surprising you with something unique in terms of taste, texture, cultural background, or the story of their preparation. This means that our familiarity with multiple cuisines is often tested when we come across some of the best-hidden wonders like the dishes we tasted. One such meal we had the good fortune of experiencing was from the Rayalaseema Ruchi menu. This limited-time festive menu, introduced at Dakshin, is one that holds some memorable dishes with impeccable flavours from the districts of Kurnool, Anantapur, YSR, and Chittoor.
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Chillis & melodies
High on the spice metre, this menu was elevated due to the harmonious use of masalas and the right blend of green chilli in most of the dishes. As we sat down at a pretty corner of the restaurant, and in front of the live Indian classical music performers, we were immersed in the experience immediately. We were first served a crunchy and fresh set of appadalu or papads, as it is more generically known. This acted as a perfect catalyst for our conversations as we munched on them endlessly. Then came the most soothing bowl of soup called the Nattu Kodi Miryalu Soup. This appetiser had some of the softest chicken chunks that were heavenly to chew on as they oozed out more of the soup that it had absorbed into our every bite. The soup was also blended perfectly with the black peppercorns as it presented a soothing and calming effect. This would work wonders for anyone with a cold. This rasam-like piping hot dish was the perfect way to kickstart our meal.
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Meat you halfway
Next, two starters made their way to our table. The Kadapa Mutton Chops and the Jeedi Pappu Kodi Veduppu packed a serious punch with regard to rich flavours and piquancy. The former is a well-cooked, soft, and meaty dish, which highlights the essence of all the spices used. The taste of the fennel blended into the paste and gravy for this dish also stood out, giving us an interesting mix of flavours left behind on our taste buds. The meat which seems to have been slow-cooked to perfection, presented a nice tangy flavour, thanks to the tomato paste having seeped well into the meat. The latter is one of the most unique dishes you might ever try when it comes to an Indian cuisine starter. The Jeedi Pappu Kodi Veduppu was a tasty chicken dish that stands out among all the others on the menu due to its beautiful use of ginger garlic paste, cashew nuts, and green chilli and the paste made using these ingredients to marinate the chicken. With a burst of flavours on your taste buds, this dish is elevated further to higher levels of piquancy
Coconut party
It was time for the main course. The Nattu Kodi Koora was a heavenly dish that presented some of the best flavours in its gravy and meat. With a nice earthy and slightly smoky aroma, it was apparent that all the spices and the other ingredients were roasted well for the meat to absorb their essence. We paired this amazing gravy dish with a wheat paratha and a Ragi Sangati. Both were elevated with the flavour of the tomato-based gravy and brought about a nice variety in terms of the crunchy texture and a soft melt-in-the-mouth texture respectively.
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We ended our amazing Rayalaseema meal with two great coconut-based desserts — Poornalu, a rich coconut and dal-based dessert and the Kobari Achulu, which is a barfi-like coconut sweet dish presenting a nice crunch to wrap up our meal.
Meal for two at Rs. 2,500+
At Dakshin, Crowne Plaza Chennai Adyar Park.
On till October 15