Uttara Kannada Food Fest at ITC Gardenia

“Cubbon Pavilion Presents “The Uttara Kannada Stories”

Surrender to the subtlety of a cuisine focussed on aromatic spices and dry fruits and coconut…. The culinary brigade at ITC Gardenia presents the finesse of a culture as old as time….The Uttara Kannada Stories…. Food is as much about History as it is about Geography. A culinary journey of a thousand souls; a few traders, some invaders, mighty wanderers and ever welcoming local hearts. Showcasing an undiscovered cuisine story shaped by myriad colours of trade, travel and rootedness.

Recently I had the delight of food tasting on the invite of vivacious Vinita. The aroma of the spices and coconut and the red chillies  perfectly matched  the expectation I had of food, that will follow such sensuously teasing aromas and sight.

The variety of food offered to vegetarians and not just non- vegetarians was lovely and commendable. Since I’m familiar with this place, having spent a certain amount of years here , so I really was looking forward to going back into time with the food I was tasting today and what a delightful journey it was.

I sampled a few in veg and non vegetarian, my journey started with theKane or lady fish fry. This was fried with the coating of semolina. The veg starter was the balekaitikki or the raw banana cutlets. Seer fish or mackerels was another one which was on the offering and it is usually a tava fry. Since Karwar is a sea port and has had trade with so many hence an abundance of seafood, spices and tropical produce made an exciting canvas for each to leave its culinary stroke.

The main course was lavish and a spread of lot many recipes. The vegetarians have wide choice of food too here. The most impressive was theHalsina Kai galu. This is a preparation of jackfruit seeds that are cooked with the hand pounded spices and tempered with coconut oil and fresh mustard.

Thonde kai godambipalya is a dry preparation of gourd and cashews in uttara Kannada spices , garnished with coconut.

AnbebattaniSaru is button mushroom and dry peas cooked in a cashew and coconut based gravy. The other preparations were soppubelepalya is fenugreek greens and lentils ;andennaibendakai is baby brinjals cooked in onion tomato masala and finished with fresh coconut.

Karela stuffed with prawns is , as the name says, the bitter gourd flavoured with and pounded spices and stuffed with prawns. This was definitely impressive and hence I asked the chef Mahadevan to share the recipe with us.

Then there was kaimaundesaru which is minced lamb dumplings flavoured with coriander leaves and tempered with fresh coconut and green chillies.

NatiKoliSaru or the country chicken flavoured with coconut and red chili.

Solanthim pork is a Karwar delicacy flavoured with roasted spices. The Dutch left the pork behind along with their famed ovens and leavened bread.The Portuguese introduced the chilli, cashew, vinegar marinades and fermented fare. The Arabs their desserts, dried fruits, skills with rice, pulaos and biryanis.The locals married it all with their insatiable desire for good food and the abundant local produce. The locals were clever to retain their end of cuisine and yet assimilate all influences of those thousand foot prints. The veg and non veg biryani and the inimitable jola roti were beautiful . What I loved most is heserukalukadabu, or steamed green gram and rice dumplings.

The dessert included –Kayi holige that is coconut and jaggery stuffed bread.

The patholi is the sweet dumplings wherein the rice coating is stuffed with jaggery and coconut again and steamed while wrapped in turmeric leaves. The turmeric leaf gives an awesome flavour and aroma to the sweet savoury.

ITC champions in bringing in the new and yet reviving the gone ,also retaining the old culture in food and culinary choices. The responsible luxury that it offers is unique.The Uttara Kannada Stories  is a culinary experience in its own, right from the famed Bhaitkol Biryanis to the abundance of sea food and Tropical produce.

“The Uttara Kannada Stories” commences on 28 ^th  June till   08 ^th  July 2015 – Cubbon Pavilion – (Dinner Only) at ITC Gardenia. 

For reservations please call 080  6682 5110  or email at mytable.itcgardenia@itchotels.in