Meenakshi Meiyappan, or Achi (elder sister) as she is affectionately called, has an obsession that is deeply rooted in her Chettiar roots. A culinary authority, she preserves her family’s recipes passed down through generations and strives to popularize the cuisine. The 89-year-old founder of The Bangala, a historic boutique hotel in Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, recently teamed up with Hosa, Goa to host a three-day lunch and dinner pop-up showcasing the cuisine of the Chettiar family did.
Q: Chettinad cuisine is described as a complex and unique cuisine that has roots in Tamil Nadu but is reminiscent of a foreign land. Can you tell us about the influences on this dish, such as ingredients and cooking methods, and the resulting dish?
In the old days, when the Chettiar family traveled through South and Southeast Asia, they took cooks with them and over the years incorporated different ingredients and spices from the region into their dishes. Black rice, which Bangalore offers in the form of desserts, payasam (kheer) and halwa, is one of the most important imports from these countries. Other ingredients used in Chettinad cuisine with foreign influences include star anise, cinnamon, pepper, and cloves, which are added to the existing repertoire of spices such as coriander seeds and cumin grown and used in the region. There are various spices that are used. And red chili pepper.
Q: Apparently Chicken Chettinad, popular all over India, is not even a traditional dish of the Chettiar family. Can you tell us a little more about how this dish came together?
The chicken dish was originally made with red chili pepper and coriander masala. When pepper appeared in Chettinad cuisine, the latter was added to masala and the famous Chettinad His Pepper His Chicken was born. The dish became so popular that small restaurants named it Chicken He Chettinad based on its peppery flavor, and the name accidentally stuck.
