Traditional Kerala feast

Expatriates living on the island enjoy nothing more than a great meal to remind them of the specialties of their home country.

The newly opened Ramee International Group's Naatinpuram gives just that feel with memorabilia, props and interiors set to create a very nostalgic atmosphere for people hailing from the South Indian state of Kerala.

Naatinpuram, which means 'countryside' in Malayalam, has all the sights of a typical Keralite village with a centrally-built water flow, a mini tea stall, the traditional long boat, a village library, a local toddy shop, lanterns, wooden crockery, a well, long lamps, trees and also an open kitchen where diners can watch the chefs at work over glassed counters with walls painted as food-trolleys.

The venue, which is in the Baisan Hotel, Hoora, serves all-time favourite dishes from Kerala and North India as well as a list of Chinese delicacies.

Executive Chef of the Baisan Hotel, Harabilasha Panigrahi, has laid out the new menu.

Originally from the Eastern state of Orissa in India, Chef Harabilasha is no stranger to South Indian cuisine having gained experience working under a Keralite chef during his training at the Taj Bengal.

He said: "I learned most of the basic stuff from him and improved my knowledge once I came here."

Chef Harabiliasha began his career in 1997 when he brushed aside disapproval from his father, a doctor by profession who wanted his son to be one too.

He said: "My mind was set. I had been thinking about being a chef ever since as a child I used to make tea to keep awake during exams.

"My father didn't approve initially but later on when I was selected to be on a panel of chefs that worked with Air India's chartered flights for the Prime Minister and President of India, he was quite proud of me."

Chef Harabilasha was working with the Ramee International in Mumbai before being moved to the group's Juffair hotel as sous chef in 2004.

Naatinpuram's lunch time specialty is the feast or 'sadhya' which is a full meal served on a banana leaf with a range of curries and dishes that go along with it.

Preparing the great lunch feast are two chefs brought in specially for the venue's opening over a month ago, Josekutty and Biju.

Josekutty, 32, said: "We are both from families who have been in the catering business for generations.

"It was while in India that one of the Ramee Hospitality Group's management asked me whether I would be interested in coming to the island to work in this new outlet.

"The same happened with Biju and we both are hence here."

For the near future, Chef Harabilasha plans to introduce a weekly festival featuring different cuisines from different regions of India.

Here he shares a favourite Keralite dish with GulfWeekly readers.

Pomfret moilee

Ingredients:

Pomfret 4

Onions 100gm

Green chillies 5 or 6

Ginger garlic paste 30gm

Tomatoes 100gm

Thick coconut milk 400ml

Lime juice 10ml

Turmeric powder 5gm

Oil 100ml

Curry leaves one sprig

Salt to taste

Method:

Clean and wash fish thoroughly. Drain and keep aside.

Slit the green chillies into two, cut onions into thin slices and chop tomatoes into roundels

Heat the oil on low flame in a wide shallow pan. Add the ginger garlic paste and sautŽ for two minutes (should not turn brown)

Add the onions and green chillies and continue to sautŽ till onions become transparent.

Add fish pieces and turn them gently once or twice till fish turns white.

Add a small amount of water if necessary.

Add half coconut milk, salt, curry leaves and turmeric powder. Simmer until fish is cooked and the gravy reduces to half. Reduce the flame.

Add the tomato pieces and simmer for a minute. Add the remaining coconut milk, stir gently and turn off flame. Do not let the milk boil. Add lemon juice and adjust seasoning.

Arrange in an oval dish, garnish with chopped coriander leaves and juliennes of ginger.

Best served with rice or Keralite 'appams' - bowl shaped pancakes made from fermented rice.