Tamil food, fragrant of local spices, and the rhythmic beats of live music set the tone for the launch of Thalaivan Virunthu, a food festival curated by popular city chef K Damodaran. The 15-day festival, that focusses on age-old recipes and forgotten ingredients, is a medley of seasonal produce and slow-cooked delicacies.
It features dishes such as varamilagai chicken, prepared by simmering tender pieces of chicken in a rich curry infused with dried red chillies. The multi-course buffet, according to Damu, has at its core the philosophy ‘Food is medicine‘. “These recipes are from villages in Tamil Nadu that I travelled to; I have given all of them my own touch as well,“ he explains.
