Tharavadu - kerela cuisine

In Leeds, there are eateries in every corner belting out Indian cuisine or at least some version of it.  . In India language and food preferences differ from state to state. Considering there are 29 states and 7 Union territories, that's a lot of food. Now even the most ill-informed will tell you the primary distinction in India cuisine is between the north indian and south indian food. The latter loosely binds the states of Kerala , Tamil Nadu , Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka into one dietary division .  keralite cuisine is distinctive in its acceptance of fish and meat and specially the coastal areas have mastered cooking fish in rich coconut milk and an explosion of spices . And it's food from god's own country , the state of Kerala that we were out to explore in Tharavadu.

Lunch with a friend, at tharavadu , was both a nostalgia trip and a bitter bout of homesickness rolled into one. Tharavadu offers a meal deal or a thali with a vegetarian option for 5 pounds and a non vegetarian option for 6 pounds which is a real value for money. To keep things interesting we ordered one of each .The only difference between the both is a  bowl of chicken in one,  substituted with a spiced potato mash in the other. Kerala cuisine is known for its beautifully cooked meen curry or fish cooked in a flavorful coconut sauce. Thus the chicken offered in the thali somehow ends up being a compromise for the diverse palettes of the customers.

the dosa was the star attarction of the thali. A dosa or idli served with coconut chutney and sambar is the one unifying factor in all south indian cuisine .  A thick batter is made from ground urad pulses and rice and then fermented. Thick dollop sized portions are steamed to make idlis and the fermented batter is diluted and then fried to make dosas , like really thin pancakes.

Non Veg Thali

My culinary skills however, doesn't extend as far as the dosa batter just yet and so the packaged dehydrated variety  has to do. The dosa served was a nice and crispy paper dosa , the spiced potato mash in the vegetarian thali turned out to be the filling for the dosa.
The sambar daal was a disappointment , and it has too little of everything and was a mere shadow of what it should be. And when your Bengali  cook at home makes better sambar than a south Keralian restaurant , its rather shameful.

The thali also has generous portion of rice with mustard seeds . Today, we were served a mild potato curry and a curry with garbanzo beans whcih did not reek of authenticity but was flavorful. The chicken was cooked in coconut milk and was definitely the next best thing on the plate after the dosa. Let me assure you, this is no quick lunch , and the amount of food is enough to make you bypass dinner . Since the meal deal was satisfying, I am optimistic about the ala carte menu and hope to be back within the week.

Olive tree - an ode to greek gods in leeds

On days when you wake up with  hunger pangs and want to try something new,  look up random restaurant deals on websites and you could be pleasantly surprised . On this deal happy Saturday we discovered the Olive tree. This establishment is in the quieter part of town and the entrance is rather modest with a risk of being mistaken for a boutique coffee shop. The restaurant itself is not high on design and looks like an extension of a family dining room with the exception of a good sized bar area.

When we dine in a group, we order at least one fallback which was on this day hummus (not to be confused with Hamas-  the Palestinian resistance movement ).  If you are used to the Tesco grab and go variety one whiff of this hummus will leave you wanting for more. Of course one might argue that hummus is barely rocket science and any blender happy cook with access to chickpeas, olive oil and a selection of Mediterranean spices can whip up a hummus in less than a minute . But this mildly flavored hummus is a reverence to precision where the whole is more than the sum of its ingredients. Served here with a generous basket of pita bread.  Try as you might you cannot wax eloquent about pita bread. Its still just pita bread. 

The Greeks love of mezze comes through in the dolmades. Vine leaves stuffed with minced lamb, rice and a mild  hint of mint served with an yogurt based dip. The dolmades seem to be a variation of the middle eastern dolma or stuffed vegetables. A version of which traveled to India with the Persians and comfortably settled in with the Bengali palette and thus was born potol'er dolma or pointed gourd stuffed with desiccated coconut, shrimp, fish  or minced mutton .

Ordering a main in this establishment is no mean feat. With so many options to choose from and  many of the favorites being on offer. For the decisively fishy people,  aim for the Solomos - a pan fried hunk of rosy salmon served with a sauce of white wine and cream. It comes with a side order of the most delicious sauteed potatoes and all you want to do is dip them in the sauce and lick. and  then hope that no one saw you.

Both our friends opted for a generous helping of moussaka the fancier cousin of the humble cottage pie. Try as you might you cannot fault it. The Explosion of robust flavors in your mouth coupled with cheesy potato is the stuff that calorie counters nightmares are made off.  It always helps to have dainty eaters as friends for the attainment of left over nirvana. 

Having first ordered for the spiciest dish in the restaurant , I chickened out and opted for the Kota Me Feta ke Spanaki or grilled chicken breast stuffed with spinach and a hunk of feta cheese. This turned out to be a safe bet and very mildly spiced . The accompanying rice was flavorful and served with a salsa like sauce. This was also the best presented dish on the table irrespective of the tiny little chip on the plate. 

The chalkboard was chockablock with traditional Greek desserts and even Boris Johnson's favorite Rhubab crumble but  the sugary sweet Baklava beckoned... eat me eat me. Now I have it on good authority (read wikipedia ) that Baklava is of Turkish descent but borders are quite porous when it comes to desset  . Fair warning , the portion size is quite big and best shared with two or more sweet toothers.

As a greak establishment it serves up a hearty fare in a familial almost homely surrounding. And simply because I have been dying to say this in this post , i'll  call this my big fat Greek eating. 

Akbars and the flaming family nan

When I do go out for a meal here in Leeds , it is generally not for Indian food . Firstly being fresh off the boat, it almost never lives up to my expectations of food back home and secondly the definition of Indian food here is slightly murky encompassing the often in conflict regions of India , Pakistan and Bangladesh . Now divided by war and cricket they share a diverse palette blessed with biriyani , kebabs and all things meat and curry-full. 

 If however you are not hung up on Indian food here not tasting like the food back home look no further than Akbars in Headrow. For starters aim for the lamb chop. Succulent and generously spiced not unlike a preparation called chaap in eastern India. The chicken Nambali however was rather bland in comparison and smothered with cheese, which of course is not an authentic Indian or Pakistani ingredient. Recommended for people who have a low tolerance for spicy and hot food.

For side orders we braved the chicken vindaloo and the minced lamb korma.  No complains here as to the taste of the korma as it was polished off at our table before I could serve myself a second helping. The Vindaloo by any other name is fabulous but its not really a vindaloo.  The authentic Vindaloo is a pork curry  and was a Portuguese parting gift to Goa, India. The chicken / beef/ mutton /shrimp versions seem to be British concoction like the tikka masala and more like a rather tempered down sour curry. Really good but still not a vindaloo. 

The highlight of the meal and certainly the centerpiece of the table is the family naan (leavened  flat bread baked inside an earthen oven or tandoor) which arrives hooked to the branches a metal stand .At about a foot and a quarter long it isn't really that big and in fact if you have worked up an appetite on your way its just enough for two adults. The naan is light and fluffy which tells you someones had a long day with the dough and it comes with choice of seasoning. Always go for garlic. If you are not a vampire. 

From the day I was told to monitor my blood sugar I cannot seem to resist a dessert after my meal. Thankfully the gajar halwa or grated carrots dipped in all things sugary is just what the doctor didn't order. Its one of those things you cannot share. Order two or resort to a long uncomfortable silence with your dinner date.

The service is the best bit. Its fast and friendly , we went in at past 11 on a Friday night but were seated promptly despite the restaurant being chockablock with diners. The restaurant is accommodating without being imposing in size and with all creature comforts. Not the best place for a conversation since it gets difficult to hear above the din of fellow diners but its open late and mighty easy on the pocket for the gang to head on to after the movie.