With a new veg lunch thali, this restaurant offers the perfect mid-day meal

South Indian food has always been a go-to option for a hearty breakfast and although the five states are known for their ‘tiffins’—idli, vada, dosa and sambar—it is often the lunch meals where the soul of the cuisine lies. These mid-day meals offer a comfortable, extended break from work, with a satiated hunger and happy soul. Beware, you might crave a nap after a full thali! 

The perfect South Indian meal in Hyderabad

This week, we visited Aidu, which has launched a lavish vegetarian lunch thali. With around 15 delicacies, this meal is a comprehensive journey of flavours. As the thali arrived, it was large enough to overwhelm us, but also got us excited to dig in.

Breaking conventions, we were first served the payasam—a dessert with nutty undertones and a wholesome amount of ghee. Then came potato fritters, and fried, spiced potato slivers — the crunchiness kept us reaching out for more. The star of the meal, an array of curries and pappu, was served next. The Beerakaya curry had the tanginess of tomato, while the raw banana curry topped with coconut shreddings was a perfect combination. The classic Bhindi fry was perfectly crispy, and Guttivankaya curry was a standout with a peanut and tomato gravy with soft small brinjals. We relished these with puri, and pulihora on the side.

Now, for the soul of the meal, we were served white rice with Palakura pappu and a thick, creamy Mudappu, topped with a hearty dollop of ghee. This is definitely a combination you can never go wrong with. No south Indian thali is complete without sambar rice and curd rice—offering comforting flavours. We also relished their tomato chutney and papad with the meal.

Aidu has also launched some new dishes. The Udupi veg cutlet, filled with sauteed and mashed vegetables, was crispy and fried to perfection, served with a beautiful red beetroot chutney. The Crispy veg lollipop, presented on a stick resembling a chicken lollipop, was a medley of veggies, deep fried and sprinkled with a spicy podi. The interesting twist was curry leaves instead of mint mayonnaise. The Karivepaku paneer, with a curry leaf paste, was perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. 

We ended our hearty meal with rose milk, perfect to wash down the flavour of a heavy meal.

₹1,000 for two.

At Jubilee Hills.

Email: ananyadeval.m@newindianexpress.com

X: indulgexpress

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