Hailing from the Cuddapah region in Andhra Pradesh, Harshitha Revanuru, through outdoor and interior aesthetics and traditional gastronomy, wanted to symbolise ‘ragi’, which means copper in Telugu and also the native crop – millets of Rayalseema region – in her newly opened restaurant, Ragi The Kitchen. As we entered the eatery, the meticulously crafted terracotta figurines stood out through the red and orange taint, fairly illuminating the place – rendering a homely and warm aura. “Everything in the restaurant was designed and picked by me. I'm not an interior designer, but I just do it out of immense passion and interest. The main authentic recipes are actually all my mom’s. That in fact, was the idea to start Ragi. Everything here is authentic, traditional and cooked home-style – just like our mom’s food,” she tells us.
The outlet’s head chef, Narasimhulu Kummari explains how they represent ‘ragi’ or ‘copper’ in terms of ambience and decor. “We serve the dishes in copper cutlery, and hence, the name.” As we started to sample some specialities, we were in awe of the homemade spices and essences, reminding us time and again of authentic Telangana cuisine. In every bite of the toothsome appetisers – Rayalseema Karam Wings, Thamalapaku Kodi Kebab and Avisala Paneer Vepudu – we drew in an engaging aroma of the dhaniya and red chilli powders – as we relished the crispy delectables with a balanced assortment of spices. The bright garnishes of spring opinions, dry chillies, chutneys and raita allured us for an authentic culinary delight.
Furthermore, with Sankranti, Ragi’s special delicacies will include Bobbatlu, Paneer Kurkure, Aritaaku Chepa, Masala Ragi Roti and Nalli Mamsam Bagara Rice to immerse you in the comfort of a homegrown gourmandising euphoria of native flavours.
Next came the refreshing Nannari Sharbath. “One of the special features of this drink is the essence of the plant’s roots from the Rayalaseema region,” Narasimhulu tells us. Although the name of the plant is his best-kept secret, we realised how rare the flora must be when we gulped down the glass of our new-favourite sharbath - its herbal and therapeutic fragrance remained in our taste buds till the time we got home. Before signing off, we sampled a Mulberry Rabdi and Saggu Biyam Custard for dessert. While the former is a weekend special pleasing us with the sweet notes of mulberries and rose extracts, the custard dessert lured us to its kesar and saffron toppings – with every spoonful of the sweet dish, we tasted the rejuvenating tapiocas. Indeed, it goes without saying that this place is a must-visit if one is looking to be reminded of one’s hometown.
₹1,200 for two. At Film Nagar.
E-mail: chokita@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @PaulChokita
Photos: Sahithi Sirikonda