To mark the world celebration of 2023 as the International Year of Millets, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre (NHCC) hosted a Millet Brunch at their Food Exchange recently. Complemented by an earthy and elegant ambience, the brunch aimed to support the efforts of farmers in the country and raise awareness about the diverse ways in which millet can be incorporated into everyday meals. The brunch featured a delightful array of millet-based dishes, exemplifying Novotel’s dedication to providing its guests with wholesome and environment-friendly food choices.
The buffet showcased various millet grains used to craft nutritious dishes, emphasising the importance of exploring wholesome food choices. As the thoughtfully curated ambience reminded us of the countryside, the earthen and brass vessels added to its charm, evoking memories of authentic and simple village life. The elaborate Sunday Brunch with its special millet menu delighted guests with a variety of tempting options, including ragi Idli, millet pongal, millet gatta curry, millet dal, finger millet gujhia, ragi laddu, multi-millet barfi, and amaranth fig bar. The live counter offered tantalising variations of ragi dosa, upma, idli, and other starters, providing a diverse and flavoursome culinary experience.
We began our delightful brunch with millet khichdi, offering five different types of millet grains to choose from: proso millet, jowar, bajra, ragi, and koda. Served alongside six different pickles and four chutneys, we couldn’t decide on just one, so we savoured a mix of all grains, which turned out to be a heavenly treat evoking a sense of home with every bite. We then relished South Indian millet-blend specialities, such as Mysore vada, complemented with lamb and chicken curries. The vada was delightfully delicate and crispy at the same time, while the curries provided a comforting taste. The delectable mix-millet paratha was also a hit. Among the other varieties, Dahi Vada was a bit sweeter than our preference, and the curd rice had a distinct mustard seed flavour, more powerful than the variety we are used to. Continuing with continental blends, we savoured millet fried rice and pasta, where the fried rice had a pronounced corn presence, and the millet pasta was indistinguishable from the regular variety, certainly a cue to parents for a healthy alternative for their children.
The other tempting options available on the menu included millet laksa soup, millet vegetable bao dim sum and green pea and edamame dumplings and millet tempura maki. A lot more over the main course and dessert in this section. For salads, the proso millet with spinach and ranch dressing offered a delightful crunch, while the delicately prepared fish roulade exuded healthfulness. Interestingly, over a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian salads, we also had the option of making one of our own. Pearl millet tuna, roasted fish with curry, seafood and roasted pumpkin were some of the choices we had for the non-vegetarian segments.
Thanks to the great adaptability millet grains have, salads and desserts have almost got a rebirth in the Indian culinary experience. Just like salads, the chefs presented a whole range of millet-infused delicacies, such as proso millet kunafae, finger millet raspberry cake and little millet chocolate cookies. The dessert spread was a visual delight, with sugar-free chocolate mousse topped with popped sorghum and a delectable red velvet cake that pleased the palate, adding to the colours. Chef Kailash Gundupalli, Director of Culinary at the hotel has more than two decades of experience in the industry and his preparations have a sort of comfort in them, which one seeks in a home away from home. He said that preparing the entire buffet took over two months of research and dedication. His team was equally thrilled to present the diverse range of dishes offered on the menu. The guilt-free meal concluded with lovely music, providing a perfect ending to the culinary experience.