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Taste history, culture and myriad flavours on a food trip to Thanjavur
Summary
Explore the rich culinary landscape of Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, where dishes like adai, biryani and kootus are enriched by stories of cultural heritage
Thanjavur, famous as the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu, is a melting pot of history, architecture and myriad flavors. It is renowned as the birthplace of intricate Thanjavur art and draws visitors for its many ancient temples built during the prosperous Chola regime from the ninth to the thirteenth century. There is a plethora of choices for culinary explorers too, including typical Tamil fare like adai (legume pancakes) and vada-curry (curry with vadas), coexisting with Maratha-inspired dishes like poli (puran poli) and kothamalli mutton sukka (coriander mutton fry).
Marathas shaped the cuisine when they ruled Thanjavur from the late seventeenth to mid-nineteenth century. It is believed that the beloved sambar is a Maratha inheritance. Sambhaji, son of Shivaji Maharaj, visited Thanjavur in the seventeenth century and it was prepared in his royal kitchen by substituting and changing a few ingredients. Samba, as he was called, was fond of amti, a light and flavorful lentil dish with kokum. Since kokum wasn’t available in Thanjavur, the chef used tamarind as a souring agent, and added readily available vegetables like drumstick, to create this dish, which has now become synonymous with South Indian cuisine.
If one were to visit Thanjavur as a tourist, it would be remiss to not plan a trip to the neighboring Kumbakonam too. It is another temple town in Thanjavur district and is about 40 km away from the main city. A visit to Kumbakonam would not be complete without seeing the Airavatesvara Temple, a stunning example of Chola architecture and a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Great Living Chola Temples. A recent trip to Thanjavur and Kumbakonam was a discovery of ancient temples, regional delicacies, followed by multiple servings of piping hot South Indian filter coffee.
Seetharama Vilas
If you are looking for traditional Tamil dishes like adai and kozhukatta (steamed rice dumplings), Seetharama Vilas is the place to go. The restaurant has a very modest ambiance, and the food is simple yet incredibly tasty. I was surprised by the adai served with avial, a mixture of vegetables cooked with yogurt and ground coconut. Although I had never tried this combination before, one bite convinced me that it was the best way to enjoy adai. The subtle taste of the avial complements the savory and spicy flavors of the adai perfectly. Another excellent choice is the munthiri dosa sprinkled with gunpowder and garnished with chopped cashews. And, like any other eatery in the area, the filter coffee at Seetharama Vilas was impeccable.
Also read: How Chennai brews its speciality coffee
Where: Kumbakonam-Sirkazhi highway, Aduthurai
Price for two: ₹350 (approx)
Mangalambika Vilas
This is where you should head to for a sumptuous breakfast. The pongal is a must-try; and the masala dosa as well as medu vada are made to perfection. The chutneys, including the spicy onion chutney and the coconut chutney with fresh coriander, are quite unlike the coconut-chili chutney and sambar combination one might find at a Udipi hotel. The use of coriander or kothambir is a Maratha influence. This 101-year-old establishment (founded in 1914), is also the place to be for venthaya adai or venthaya dosai (both have a distinct flavor of methi or fenugreek seeds) that are available in the evenings.
Where: Kumbeswarar, Sannathi Street, Valayapettai Agraharam, c
Price for two: ₹350 (approx)
Aatrupaduthal
The restaurant is located at the resort Mantra Koodam by CGH (Casino Group of Hotels) and offers an eight-course tasting menu with no à la carte. The recipes are inspired by Chola cuisine from the Sangam era which can be pegged to the timeline between third century BCE to the third century CE. The meal is a carefully curated rustic experience with specialities like sangakala muringakkai kolambu (drumstick curry flavored with spices like pepper, coriander, and chana dal), nedunalvadai vellantinkari kozhunchoru (mutton and jeeraka samba rice cooked in black pepper, fennel seeds, and red chilies) complete with athimathura thinai payasam (licorice and foxtail millet kheer).
Where: Veppathur, Kumbakonam
Price per person: ₹2500 (approx)
Chellammals Manpaanai Samayal
The highlight of this restaurant is that all dishes are cooked in a manpanai or a terracotta vessel. Opting for the thali served on a banana leaf would be a good idea as it would allow you to try the different curries on offer in one go. The assortment of side dishes, that come in clay bowls, includes different vegetable or kootu dishes such as banana blossom thoran (banana blossom stir-fried with grated coconut and mustard seeds), vendakka varuval (crispy roasted ladies' fingers), vatha kulambu (black nightshade berries in a tangy tamarind sauce), vada-curry, and more. The meal ended with a serving of thinai payasam and moru or buttermilk.
Where: South street, Ganesh Nagar, Thanjavur
Price for two: ₹500 (approx)
Nasar Idiyappa Restaurant
Nasar Idiyappa is famous for its signature paya soup. This delectable dish, spiced with pepper, has notes of coriander and star anise; and is served with idiyappams or rice string hoppers. Also worth trying are the kaadai Chettinad (quail cooked in traditional Chettinad spices like pepper, ginger, green chillies and fennel seeds). As an accompaniment, pick from a variety of rice preparations, like lemon rice, curd rice, tomato rice and sambar rice.
Where: Trichy main road, Eliza Nagar, Thanjavur
Price for two: ₹350 (approx)
Thevar Biriyaani
For traditional Tamil-style biryani, head to Thevar Biriyaani. The mutton biryani is simply lip-smacking, and so is the gravy that accompanies it. The mildly flavored gravy, made with dried coconut, green chilies, cumin, and coriander rounds off the flavors of the subtly spiced biryani. Traditional Tamil biryani doesn't have gravied meat layered with rice, but the rice is prepared with whole spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves and then tenderised meat and caramelized onions are added and cooked again. The place also offers chicken and vegetarian biryani options.
Where: Gandhiji Road, Shivaji Nagar, Thanjavur
Price for one portion of biryani: ₹200
Madurai Mohan Mess
Madurai Mohan Mess is where you’d find one of the best mutton sukka or kothamalli mutton sukka (coriander mutton fry). The mutton is slow-roasted with coarsely ground coconut, fresh coriander, green chilies, ginger, garlic, and cumin. The succulent meat dish is served with either flaky porotta or dosa. The place is also known for the spicy, tangy, delicious meen kolambu or fish in a tamarind gravy, which is quite similar to its Malayali cousin, meen vevichathu.
Where: Rajjappa Nagar, Medical College Road, Thanjavur
Price for two: Rs. 450 (approx)
Sumitra Nair is an independent journalist based in Kochi.
Also read: Discover Kochi's hidden culinary gems
