Chef Ruchira Hoon's Dakshin Canteen brings Chettinad flavours to Delhi

"There's no such thing as a Chettinad Chicken," says chef Ruchira Hoon as she points at a peppered chicken dish, served at the Chettinad Thali pop-up at her South Indian canteen-style restaurant Dakshin Canteen in Delhi. "This is the chicken dish many pass off as Chettinad Chicken," she adds.

 

While most South Indian restaurants in Delhi stick to familiar territory —dosa, idli, and uttapam — Dakshin Canteen offers a menu that is borderless, expansive, packed with balanced, and authentic flavours.

 

“When I decided to open a South Indian restaurant, I knew it had to reflect the diversity of the region — meaning food from across all South Indian states,” says Hoon.

 

But showcasing such a wide range of dishes all at once is no easy feat. “I can’t put everything on the main menu right away. But through pop-ups, I can still introduce them to people,” she adds.

 

This month, Hoon turned the spotlight on the flavours of Chettinad, a region in Tamil Nadu where the mercantile community Chettiyars draw their origin. Being traders, they did business with countries like Myanmar, Malaysia, and China, and these trade links left an imprint on their food. "The Chettiyars were hardcore Tamils, and their food had influences from all of these places, which now is the Chettinad cuisine," explains Hoon.

 

Just like the influences on Chettinad cuisine are many, so are the spice notes, which range from the spicy and smokey flavour of the Gundu chili, and the spice of the black peppercorns to the tanginess of tamarind and sweetness of pineapple and black rice.

 

So what are the top ingredients used in Chettinad cuisine? "It's Gundu mirchi (chili), black pepper, shallots, curry leaves, and fennel," replies Hoon. When asked about the top dishes, she pauses for two seconds before replying, "It's everything you're about to have."

 

I start off with the cabbage and sathkudi salad, a simple preparation done with cabbage, mosambi (sweet lime), green chili, vinegar, and salt. Simple, refreshing but with just the right amount of spice. While few dishes on the plate are familiar such as the Lemon Idiyappam, Beans Poriyal, Vengayam Sambaar, and the simple Appalam; there's also Vatha Kozhambu, a spicy, tangy curry made with tamarind, the sweet and tangy pineapple curry, Kozha Urundai Kozhambu, the mutton curry, and Paal Paniyaram, a mildly sweet dish made with fried rice-urad batter dollops soaked in milk. The dish that took the cake for me was Kavanarisi, a sweet preparation done with black rice, ghee, grated coconut, resins, and sweetener.

 

The menu is broad, but the dishes come in small portions, allowing you to taste everything. The warm, welcoming interiors only add to the whole experience.

Society