This year, many restaurants, cultural and political parties
organized ‘Telangana Food Festivals’ at Hyderabad and major towns of Telangana
during Navarathri celebrations and until Dasara. This concept was started in
the recent years but it was never held on such a large scale. Some political
party or a cultural organization used to organize a Telangana Food Festival at
one or two places, at some popular grounds in the city. And with heavy crowds
converging at such few points, the experience in the past was not very
satisfactory. This year it was different, it was at many places and I hope everyone
enjoyed their experience, like us. We went to the ‘Telangana Food Festival’ at
‘36 Bar-B-Q Restaurant’, which is just adjacent to our house and enjoyed the
food. It was a memorable evening not just because of the food but due to the
‘local theme and decorations’ there, and a very enthusiastic congregation of
connoisseurs and admirers of Telangana food.
Telangana cuisine; in all its variety exists and survives only
in the rural areas of Telangana. Elsewhere, especially in Hyderabad, though the
locals stick to Telangana cuisine, they do not go for the entire variety, as in
the past. At the time of festivals and some celebrations it is strictly or
mostly traditional Telangana food all over the region.
Authentic Telangana cuisine is predominantly very hot, spicy
and sour. Liberal usage of Red Chillies, Chilly powder, Green Chillies, Green
Chilly paste, Ginger-Garlic paste, Garam masala and Tamarind is common. The
above photographs are just a few of the many Telangana foods. Some of the items
are common to other regions and look alike but have a slightly different taste
and a different name. All the Telangana savories depicted in the above pictures
like Sakinalu, Chegodilu, Murukulu, Vadappalu, Segu, Sundelu, Masala Puri,
Bajjilu, Garelu, Makkajonna Garelu, Vadalu and Sweets like Ariselu, Laddulu,
Polelu, Garijelu, Kheer and many more are very popular. Some of the sweets are
made out of Jaggery. Items like Jonna Rottelu, Gummadikaya Kura, Mamidikaya
Thokku or any other Thokku, Muddha Pappu, Pachi Pulusu, Salla Charu, Mamidikaya
or Tamarind Pulihora, Daddojanam and a variety of Non-Veg. preparations shown
in the above pictures are common food. However foods like Ambali shown in 4th
picture top left and many varieties of green leaf curries and several other foods
are slowly vanishing from the urban areas. The Food Festivals have showcased
many foods of Telangana. The Restaurant we have been to, served 150 different
and exclusive dishes of Telangana during the weeklong festival. And on the day
we have gone there, the spread was quite large. I picked a little here and
there without missing much and found all of them tasty. As all restaurants seem
to have done good business last week with Telangana Food Festivals, I wish they
conduct them more often and revive the grand old tastes.
P.S. You may click on the
link below to watch the preparation of a simple, and an exclusive dish of
Telangana called Pachi Pulusu (Rasam), presented by Hyderabad’s world famous
Chef, Sanjay Thumma:
I love tamarind rice uncle. Hope you will be covering that too :)
ReplyDeleteAll yummy food. :)
ReplyDeleteNice food
ReplyDeleteTelangana Spicy Food
its all mouth watering foods
ReplyDelete