Regional and International
Food Festivals introduce us to various delicacies form different regions of our
country and the world. And such festivals have become very popular in Hyderabad
and almost every month a few festivals are being hosted by various restaurants.
With a large cosmopolitan society in Hyderabad, full of food enthusiasts and
connoisseurs, these festivals are a big success. Telangana Food Festivals are rare
and when they are held, even for us locals of Telangana it is an attraction as
we can get to see and taste a number of our popular and favorite preparations.
The above photographs are from the Telangana Food Festival we attended
yesterday. And at the end of this article is an extract from an earlier
Telangana Food Festival we attended in October 2010, and pictures of some
popular Telangana foods. You may read this article in detail by clicking on the
following link:
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.
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