Exploring rarities in Kerala cuisine

If you are planning to visit the newly opened Kerala restaurant ‘Kappa Chakka Kandhari’ (KCK) for parotta, biryani or appam and stew, don’t. They don’t have it.

It’s a place you visit to try some of the lip-smacking dishes that you’ve probably never tried before. Chef Regi Mathew visited over 265 homes and 70 toddy shops across Kerala and gathered 800 recipes to create this unique brand.

The name of the restaurant translates to ‘tapioca (kappa), jackfruit (chakka) and birds eye chilli (kandhari)’. Unlike the newer eateries that have a limited menu, KCK decided to keep it old school and kept their menu extensive. There are handwritten recipes of a dish on every other page with its picture. They are apparently recipes from chef Regi’s mother. This alone can give you an idea of how much care has gone into each of the dishes.

We started with ‘Absolute Kandhari’, their secret drink made with lemon and birds eye chilli. It was so good that my friend had four of those. If I hadn’t stopped him, he would have had more. Along with the drink came ‘Kozhuva Fry’, a backwater fish marinated in simple spices. For someone who hasn’t been to a toddy shop, this was a fun starter. All these years, I thought anchovy fry was my favourite— not anymore.

I am not a huge fan of banana blossoms but I liked that the ‘Vazhapoo Cutlet’ was subtle in taste. Mashed with potato, it was delicately seasoned, and if I wasn’t told it was made with banana blossoms, I wouldn’t have realised it.

My favourite starter was the ‘Mutton Coconut Fry’. It is as good as it sounds. The meat was tender enough that it had the bite but also easily dissolved in my mouth.

The chef told us the recipes they use are from home cooks. They invited these cooks to come on board and cook themselves instead of just sharing the recipe.

Perhaps that’s why the ‘Ramassery Idly’ felt like we were eating clouds. It’s the cooking technique that gives it that feel, we were told. Native to Ramaserry, a village in Palakkad, they use a clay pot for steaming and cooking. The chicken curry and Kerala sambhar served with it completed the dish. When in Kerala, or in any Malayali home, ‘Chatti Meen Curry’ is a speciality. KCK also made sure it retained special here as well.

I have always had ‘Karimeen Polichatu’ but never in the curry form. The curry version here was served in an earthen pot and the fish was tender and soft.

I’ve eaten at a lot of Kerala restaurants and of course, being a Malayalee, I’ve had my fair share of traditional delicacies from the state. But the one thing I absolutely cannot stand is jackfruit. Just the smell of it puts me off. And no, I don’t like the seed either.

When I tried KCK’s best-selling dish ‘Chakka Vevichathu’, sliced raw jackfruit boiled and cooked with grated coconut masala, I didn’t like it at the first bite. I then tasted it with country-style chicken curry aka ‘Kozhi Curry’. Here’s my verdict: if this is the way jackfruit was always introduced to me, I would have probably liked it. Or maybe it was the taste of the curry that made it palatable for me.

We had to stop eating at some point but one last dish was on the agenda, ‘Mutton Puttu Biryani’. It came with pappadam, pickle, chutney and of course, ‘Kadala Curry’ (black chickpea curry).

It was flavourful but it wasn’t a dish that I would go back for. The mutton was well-cooked; I would have liked it with some rice.

Last but not least, it was finally time for dessert. Tender coconut pudding or as KCK calls it ‘Cloud Pudding’. Apparently the children who frequent the restaurant gave it its name and I completely understand their sentiments. You can taste and smell the tender coconut with each bite. Saying it melts in your mouth would be an understatement. And what a perfect way to end the meal.

I plan to visit KCK another 10 times to try everything else they had on the menu. The restaurant is located at 438, 18th Main Rd, 6th Block, Koramangala.