Rayalaseema food festival: Savour fiery Andhra flavours at this Chennai star hotel

Andhra cuisine takes its spices very seriously. So, when we got the invitation for the Rayalsima Sampada food festival at Ayna, we braced ourselves to tantalise our taste buds and for an intense, flavourful ride.

The air was redolent with the aroma of rich spices from Andhra as we set foot in the restaurant, which showcased the fiery spices and condiments of the region. And giving us a warm welcome was the home chef, Kanisetty Sravani, who has curated the grand thali that boasts piquant flavours. Spices are the soul of Rayalaseema cuisine, but the chef apprised us that the ‘spice-o-meter’ has been toned down to suit Chennai palates.

We dove into the spice haven with the refreshingly soothing welcome drinks, Nannar, and the aromatic Pesarapoppu ganji (a sweet dish made of moong dal). The humble and earthy duo, we were told, are a staple in the Rayalaseema households, as they help beat the heat and cool down the body. 

For the main course, we decided to turn up the heat with the non-vegetarian thali. To our surprise, it was quite light on the stomach. “That’s because the recipes are homemade,” informed the chef. The main course is a delightful mix of seafood, chicken, and mutton.

Being ardent fish lovers, we embarked on our culinary journey with the melt-in-the-mouth Chapala vepudu, deep-fried fish tossed with onion and Rayalaseema spices, and boy, were we overjoyed! The lip-smacking Miryala kodi vepudu, dry stir-fried chicken tossed with pepper, upped the spice ante. Prawn lovers, don’t miss Pachi mirapakaya prawns, which are loaded with green chillies and spices.

The chef enlightened us on the gastronomic blends. The combination of crispy Kadapa karam dosa with the delicious Chanaginzala chutney was a feast to the senses, and we couldn’t stop with one. The tomato Oorogaya added a tangy touch to the dosa. 

The Thiragavatha Annam, the short-flavoured pulao rice, is a match made in heaven with Gongura mamsam kura, lamb cooked with sorrel leaves and dry chillies. It’s not often that you find mutton sour, so we dug into the zesty Gongura mamsam kura with gusto. The ubiquitous Ragi sangati, the finger-millet dish, gave the meal a nutritious touch when paired with spicy Kodi pulusu, chicken simmered with spices and coconut gravy. 

The mango rice, a blend of raw mango and short-grain rice, reminded us of namma ooru lemon rice. We savoured the rice with Menthi pappu, fenugreek cooked with lentils, tamarind, and garlic. 

We culminated our meal with our favourite part of the menu, the desserts — the tasty trio of Bun palkova (bun stuffed with sweet kova), Bellam payasum, the rice pudding garnished with semiya, and Rava laddu, all of which had a touch of veettu saapadu.