The Spice Sisters - The Hindu
Content
12/11/2015
The spice sisters The Hindu
CHETTINAD MILESTONE Meyyammai Murugappan and Visalakshi Ramaswamy,
(below) the spread at Dakshin. Photo: R. Ravindran
TOPICS
The Hindu
On the women behind The Chettinad Cookbook, and a sumptuous
meal at Dakshin
The sisters giggle. As the photographer lifts his camera, one of them quickly hands
me her silken evening bag. “Can you hold this for me please?” The other one’s
food and dining
eyes light up. “Oh good idea.” She hands me her bag next. Then a passing guest
(general)
halts the proceedings. Again. “Wait. Your saris need to be adjusted.” Two other
women join her, and they fuss over the smiling sisters, straightening their heavy silk saris. Another
guest, surveying the scene with amusement, chuckles: Are you modelling the book or the saris? Oh yes.
The book. We quickly grab a copy from the sales counter and hand it to them. Finally. We’re ready to
shoot.
lifestyle and leisure
Meyyammai Murugappan and Visalakshi Ramaswamy’s book launch at the Sheraton Park Hotel and
Towers is significant for various reasons. For starters both women have made notable contributions to
Chennai. Secondly, it’s a celebration of the traditions of the Chettiars, credited with bringing art, spices
and ideas from across South East Asia to this city via trade. Finally, The Chettinad Cookbook is a
milestone in the country’s culinary heritage. Ten years in the making, it is a meticulous record of the
food of one of South India’s most influential communities.
In a big, fat Indian weddinglike atmosphere, bright with kanjeevarams and scented with the aroma of
freshly ground filter coffee, the sisters talk about why they wrote this book. But first some background.
Meyyammai was President of the National Association for the Blind, besides serving on the board for
three hospitals. Visalakshi founded the M.Rm.Rm. Cultural Foundation, coauthored The Chettiar
Heritage and is an executive Committee Member of the Crafts Council of India. Both are gifted cooks.
http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/Food/chettinadcookbookthespicesisters/article6291547.ece
1/2
12/11/2015
The spice sisters The Hindu
“Food is evocative of home,” says Visalakshi, talking of growing up in a joint family where meals brought
everyone together. “So cooking was largescale, and the aachis were excellent at both cooking, and
preserving food.”
Chettinad is a dry, arid region in southern Tamil Nadu, comprising a cluster of 75 villages filled with
stately 19th and 20th century mansions. Via Chettiar traders, everyday menus were influenced by the
food of the countries they visitedÍž hence Rangoon puttu, desserts made from Burmese black rice and
recipes featuring spices like the Chinese star anise. As the book declares, this is a cuisine that is “steeped
in tradition but not afraid of accommodating and accepting various tastes.” Visalakshi says, “The book is
a tribute to the working kitchens and storerooms of Chettinad homes, to the services of the Chettinad
master cooks who kept it alive. And the community, which returns home for every big occasion to give
these master chefs patronage.” She adds, “It’s an attempt to preserve and record a culinary tradition of
over 100 years.”
Explaining how the cuisine has always been adaptable, Meyyammai talks of how simple adjustments
yield new flavours. “It could be a pinch of mustard or a handful of curry leaves.” The underlying secret,
she grins is “kaimanam”, a popular word used to denote cooks with ‘gifted hands’. Reassuring the less
gifted, however, she says that it’s a misconception that Chettinad food is always elaborate, time
consuming and difficult. “We live in a changing world of nuclear families and fast food,” she says,
adding, this book caters to everyone.
To underline this fact, popular YouTube chef Sanjay Thumma, who declares he’s the “world’s most
watched chef” launches The Chettinad Cookbook. Thumma is especially popular among young Indian
expatriates, who follow his easy deconstructed recipes to recreate the flavours of home. “Man, these
recipes inspire me,” he exclaims, “I’ve been wanting to explore regional food. So I asked God for one
spice sister – and look – he gave me two.” He adds, “Every cuisine requires research, documentation
and revival. I promise to take on the revival now.”
Later that week, I head to Dakshin, for their Chettinad Chronicles Food Festival featuring recipes from
the book. Executive Chef Praveen Anand, a recipe historian, and the Dakshin chef Harish Kanda have
painstakingly followed the sisters’ cooking techniques to get that ‘homestyle’ flavour. “I wish I had this
book in the 90s when I tried doing a Chettinad festival at Dakshin,” says Chef Praveen, as we sample a
plate of crisp beetroot dumplings and tender lamb chops. He adds, “Though many restaurants call
themselves Chettinad, what they serve is utter bosh! If you eat in the houses of the community, you can
tell the difference instantly.”
The food at Dakshin demonstrates the difference. Spices are muted, used only to enhance flavours.
Vegetables are cleverly presented. And meat is tasty, but never overwhelmingly spiced. We try an
intricately flavoured keerai mandi, featuring spinach cooked with starchy rice water, shallots and
coconut milk. The chicken simmered with shallots and poppy seeds is delicious, as is the tangy cumin
scented fish curry. Our meal ends with lentil and jaggery pudding, sweetened with crushed palm candy
and khus khus halwa. “I called Mrs. Murugappan when I was making the khus khus halwa. I had been
stirring it for a very long time and my arms were hurting. I wanted to find out if there was an easier
way,” says chef Harish, adding with a laugh, “she said, ‘No. Keep stirring’.”
The Dakshin festival is on till August 10 for lunch and dinner. Deatils: 4299 2008
http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/Food/chettinadcookbookthespicesisters/article6291547.ece
2/2
The spice sisters The Hindu
CHETTINAD MILESTONE Meyyammai Murugappan and Visalakshi Ramaswamy,
(below) the spread at Dakshin. Photo: R. Ravindran
TOPICS
The Hindu
On the women behind The Chettinad Cookbook, and a sumptuous
meal at Dakshin
The sisters giggle. As the photographer lifts his camera, one of them quickly hands
me her silken evening bag. “Can you hold this for me please?” The other one’s
food and dining
eyes light up. “Oh good idea.” She hands me her bag next. Then a passing guest
(general)
halts the proceedings. Again. “Wait. Your saris need to be adjusted.” Two other
women join her, and they fuss over the smiling sisters, straightening their heavy silk saris. Another
guest, surveying the scene with amusement, chuckles: Are you modelling the book or the saris? Oh yes.
The book. We quickly grab a copy from the sales counter and hand it to them. Finally. We’re ready to
shoot.
lifestyle and leisure
Meyyammai Murugappan and Visalakshi Ramaswamy’s book launch at the Sheraton Park Hotel and
Towers is significant for various reasons. For starters both women have made notable contributions to
Chennai. Secondly, it’s a celebration of the traditions of the Chettiars, credited with bringing art, spices
and ideas from across South East Asia to this city via trade. Finally, The Chettinad Cookbook is a
milestone in the country’s culinary heritage. Ten years in the making, it is a meticulous record of the
food of one of South India’s most influential communities.
In a big, fat Indian weddinglike atmosphere, bright with kanjeevarams and scented with the aroma of
freshly ground filter coffee, the sisters talk about why they wrote this book. But first some background.
Meyyammai was President of the National Association for the Blind, besides serving on the board for
three hospitals. Visalakshi founded the M.Rm.Rm. Cultural Foundation, coauthored The Chettiar
Heritage and is an executive Committee Member of the Crafts Council of India. Both are gifted cooks.
http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/Food/chettinadcookbookthespicesisters/article6291547.ece
1/2
12/11/2015
The spice sisters The Hindu
“Food is evocative of home,” says Visalakshi, talking of growing up in a joint family where meals brought
everyone together. “So cooking was largescale, and the aachis were excellent at both cooking, and
preserving food.”
Chettinad is a dry, arid region in southern Tamil Nadu, comprising a cluster of 75 villages filled with
stately 19th and 20th century mansions. Via Chettiar traders, everyday menus were influenced by the
food of the countries they visitedÍž hence Rangoon puttu, desserts made from Burmese black rice and
recipes featuring spices like the Chinese star anise. As the book declares, this is a cuisine that is “steeped
in tradition but not afraid of accommodating and accepting various tastes.” Visalakshi says, “The book is
a tribute to the working kitchens and storerooms of Chettinad homes, to the services of the Chettinad
master cooks who kept it alive. And the community, which returns home for every big occasion to give
these master chefs patronage.” She adds, “It’s an attempt to preserve and record a culinary tradition of
over 100 years.”
Explaining how the cuisine has always been adaptable, Meyyammai talks of how simple adjustments
yield new flavours. “It could be a pinch of mustard or a handful of curry leaves.” The underlying secret,
she grins is “kaimanam”, a popular word used to denote cooks with ‘gifted hands’. Reassuring the less
gifted, however, she says that it’s a misconception that Chettinad food is always elaborate, time
consuming and difficult. “We live in a changing world of nuclear families and fast food,” she says,
adding, this book caters to everyone.
To underline this fact, popular YouTube chef Sanjay Thumma, who declares he’s the “world’s most
watched chef” launches The Chettinad Cookbook. Thumma is especially popular among young Indian
expatriates, who follow his easy deconstructed recipes to recreate the flavours of home. “Man, these
recipes inspire me,” he exclaims, “I’ve been wanting to explore regional food. So I asked God for one
spice sister – and look – he gave me two.” He adds, “Every cuisine requires research, documentation
and revival. I promise to take on the revival now.”
Later that week, I head to Dakshin, for their Chettinad Chronicles Food Festival featuring recipes from
the book. Executive Chef Praveen Anand, a recipe historian, and the Dakshin chef Harish Kanda have
painstakingly followed the sisters’ cooking techniques to get that ‘homestyle’ flavour. “I wish I had this
book in the 90s when I tried doing a Chettinad festival at Dakshin,” says Chef Praveen, as we sample a
plate of crisp beetroot dumplings and tender lamb chops. He adds, “Though many restaurants call
themselves Chettinad, what they serve is utter bosh! If you eat in the houses of the community, you can
tell the difference instantly.”
The food at Dakshin demonstrates the difference. Spices are muted, used only to enhance flavours.
Vegetables are cleverly presented. And meat is tasty, but never overwhelmingly spiced. We try an
intricately flavoured keerai mandi, featuring spinach cooked with starchy rice water, shallots and
coconut milk. The chicken simmered with shallots and poppy seeds is delicious, as is the tangy cumin
scented fish curry. Our meal ends with lentil and jaggery pudding, sweetened with crushed palm candy
and khus khus halwa. “I called Mrs. Murugappan when I was making the khus khus halwa. I had been
stirring it for a very long time and my arms were hurting. I wanted to find out if there was an easier
way,” says chef Harish, adding with a laugh, “she said, ‘No. Keep stirring’.”
The Dakshin festival is on till August 10 for lunch and dinner. Deatils: 4299 2008
http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/Food/chettinadcookbookthespicesisters/article6291547.ece
2/2
