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| Ceiling lamps suspended with rope. |
- Brian Mendonca
Just before leaving an eating space this afternoon, I happened to glance at the roof. I was struck by the elegant lamps suspended from the ceiling with rope.
It seemed to signify the maritime ethos of Kerala, in a restaurant which prided itself on Kerala cuisine. It took me back to our trip to Ernakulam bay seven years ago where we watched the ships of the Western Naval Command.
Today being Onam we had stepped in to sample the traditional Onasadhya. The avial and kheer deserve special mention. The avial - a medley of vegetables, cooked in curd, held its own when eaten with steaming appams.
Queenie recalled how Dwayne had a lesson in school of how avial became a much-loved dish. King Mahabali noticed that while making dishes for a royal banquet, a lot of bits of vegetables were getting wasted.
He told them that there must be no wastage, and the cooks should prepare something with these leftovers. The cooks dunked the veggies in curd and avial was born.
Beef curry (₹260) had with Malabar parottas took us someplace else, and Queenie and me relished the flavours.
Ceiling lamps can provide the signature of a place. Artfully designed, they lend beauty to the ambience and make a statement about the space they grace.
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Photo taken at Mallu Republic, Arpora, Goa on Sunday, 15 September 2024.
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