Malli in Coimbatore celebrates Kongunadu flavours

A comforting bowl of nenju elumbu charu,followed in quick succession by plates of mutton sukka and Nallampatti chicken fry: that’s how my lunch begins at Malli by The Living Room. The slow-cooked soup with mutton ribs warms me up instantly, while the classic starters raise a toast to home-grown Kongunadu flavours, resplendent with shallots, black pepper, curry leaves, and freshly ground spices. “Almost 70 percent of our menu celebrates aracha kuzhambus and biryanis from the region,” says N Velu Ammaiyappah, one of the partners, adding that he chose the name Malli “as no dish is complete without a sprinkle of malli (coriander) leaves and no aroma can beat the uplifting smell of jasmine flowers”.

A bevy of starters including the rose chicken tikka, kebabs with a subtle, floral aroma, and the much-loved mutton kola urundai arrive at the table. The crisp kola urundai is a clear winner. Reflecting on how Malli started along with two other co-founders K Krishnavijay and Raghuraman (his brother), Velu says, “Whenever we stepped out to enjoy Kongunandu food, we didn’t have a choice but to choose outlets that operated out of cluttered space. The experience, particularly the ambience, was a let-down. That’s when we decided to open the doors of Malli. We operate out of a big space with well-lit interiors, comfy seating, and clean wash rooms.”

Along with ambience, the goal, however, is to offer food that is nostalgic. “For example, mutton kola urundai brings back a rush of memories of my college days in Loyola, Chennai. There was a military hotel in the neighbourhood where we would treat ourselves to mutton biryani served on plantain leaves with a helping of kola urundai. When we popped in this deep-fried minced meat delicacy, the taste stayed on,” recalls Velu.

It’s been six months, yet the menu at Malli has undergone a change three times. “Every 60 days, we take stock of dishes that people like/dislike and change them. For the first three months, we played around with the spice levels to understand the palate, especially for South Indian food. While at heart, we celebrate our regional cuisine, we also go on food tours along with our chefs across Delhi, Jaipur and Mumbai, to try new recipes.”

That’s how potlam rice made it to the menu. The aromatic spicy rice wrapped in banana leaf along with mutton and chicken dishes on the side is indulgent and satisfying. Velu discovered it during one of his trips to Colombo. “Though we are familiar with thengai paal saadam in potlam, I was blown away by the flavours of this fragrant, ghee-soaked rice.”

The new menu also has dishes like meen chatti choru,popular in the coastal belt of Tirunelveli. “Fishermen make fish curry and mix it with rice and have a quick lunch before heading out to the sea,” says Velu as he gets talking about Virudhunagar poricha parotta, another new addition to the menu. “When we tried it in Virudhunagar, it was served with mutton chops. We have replicated it here.”

The star dish is mutton biryani, made in Dindigul style. The tender goat meat paired with seeraga samba rice brings familiar flavours that linger on. “It’s time Kongunadu food got its due. You won’t feel any discomfort in the stomach because of minimal use of masalas. We want to recreate the experience of enjoying a meal at home.”

As I enjoy creamy carrot rice kheer where carrot meets flavoured rice and a fruity falooda, I am already making plans to try out the parotta platter for my next outing.

A meal for two costs ₹999 approximately. Malli is located at 56, Nava India Road, Avarampalayam. For details, call 9677111798