Chennai:
During the margazhi season we could see stylish maamis in their kanjeevarams, diamonds and mallipoo twisted around their hair at every Sabha. The scent of flowers filled the hall and during the break the scent of dishes like bondas, bajjis, vadas and sweets like kesari and halwa lured the audience outside. The most tempting was the Goli Paneer soda, unique in the south. This lemonade appeared at all major events, political rallies, and weddings. If it was a morning kutcheri or one of cho’s pieces, the food got more interesting – there’s idlis, chutney, uttapam, pongal, and vada.
A must for many in the 70s and 80s was the filter coffee. At the time, coffee was a must in most Brahmin households. Americans assumed they were the ultimate coffee artists, but they likely haven’t rivaled the Chennai filter coffee snobs, who are special with every ingredient used to make the coffee. Most of the small cafes had freshly brewed coffee.
I studied at Stella Maris College and as a student in the 70’s we had very few resources but plenty of opportunities to explore the different types of street food that would suit everyone. Evening trips to Marina Beach meant Thenga Manga Sundal. After playing in the water, we watched the sunset. Whenever we visit the beach, women would come up to us selling thenga manga sunglasses and warm fresh murukkus. It was deliciously fresh with no dressing or frills. The sundial is also served as prasadam during Dussehra or in temples. In addition, the coconut water seller, the ice cream truck and the Neer Moru seller were regulars in the periphery.
Since many North Indians started their businesses and settled in Madras, chaat items have been very popular. Gangotri was among the first across from our college and we saved every penny to have some Golgappa and Chaat there. Kachoris and samosas as well as Bengali sweets such as rasmalai, rasgullas and jamuns delighted many.
A college student weekend trip meant dining at the then famous Woodlands drive-in restaurant – served in the car if desired. An important part of most people in Madras is that the place holds fond memories for most vintage cars. It was a landmark in itself. The place offered some of the best dishes like masala dosa, ghee roast, the madras version of paratha and kurma, rava khichdi, poori-aloo masala, bajjis and mysore bondas. The icing on the cake was the Badam Halwa and the Gulab Jamun with ice cream. Filter coffee faced competition from rose milk and Jigarthanda. Actors who came straight from filming to indulge their favorite dishes were also a common sight. Prices were reasonable and many enjoyed the privacy of sitting in their cars and eating, which was a rare privilege. When it closed and the Horticultural Society took over, many tears shed. I still miss the drive-in theater. The New Woodlands on Dr. Radha Krishnan Salai also serves some excellent dishes. Thali lunch (South or North Indian), Tiffin dishes, Dosa and Vatha Kuzhambu leave their mark on your memory.
In a normal household only fresh food was served. In my grandmother’s villa, the food was cooked by my aunt, who had to bathe and cook in wet clothes that were considered sacred. Food was always served to the gods first, then the crows were fed and finally the office, school and college visitors sat down to eat. The first meal was lunch, which consisted of simple dal, rice, a vegetable, sambar or mor kuzhambu. Vathal Kuzhambu and Milagu Kuzhambu were made on days when people had oil baths. Paruppu usili was another unique vegetable and lentil dish that wasn’t outside for a long time. Karpagam Mess, one of the oldest in town, serves it up with Mor Kuzhambu on Thursdays. People ate sambar and rasam rice and carried curd circles to lunch to work or college.
Vasant Bhavan in Luz was famous for its various milkshakes and sevai. Sevai, Kuzhi Appam and Masala Sev were his specialties. Dasprakash served the people of northern Madras. His Thalis and Tiffins were famous everywhere. The trademark was the Beeda, a special one with desiccated coconut and cardamom on top. Murugan Idli started in T Nagar and now people flock there for the softest idlis.
Back then, Mount Road was full of shopping, especially Spencers and VTI (Victoria Technical Institute). But you always ended up in Buhari for the Brain Fry or Bheja Fry and Biryani. Their egg paratha and kheema curry were famous among most die-hard kheema fans.
Club culture was still very prevalent in Madras – Gymkhana and Boat Club were the elite and the Cosmopolitan Club was just behind and served the best vegetarian dishes. The varieties ranged from different types of Idlis, Dosas, Bondas and their famous Thayir Sadam with Mavudu.
It was in Madras that the British influence on local cuisine developed. The British not only adopted the Tamil Milagu Rasam, but changed it to their taste and called it Mulligatawny Soup. An authentic version can still be found in clubs like Gymkhana and the Madras Club. They also popularized schnitzel and vegetable puffs, which were sold in local bakeries such as the Adyar Bakery and the Iyengar Bakery.
The Marwaris have been active in Madras for many decades. In the shops in Sowcarpet you can get all the North Indian masalas or their famous papads and suparis of all kinds. Murukku sandwich is another famous dish there.
Traditional Thali dishes or Andhra dishes (in restaurants like Amaravati, Velu Military or Junior Kupanna) had a range of non-vegetarian dishes such as fish roast, shrimp masala and crab poriyal. Early in the morning you could see hoteliers and housewives on the beach haggling with the fishermen for the freshest catch at the lowest price. Seafood has always been a priority here, and fresh fried fish is a common street food.
To leave the narrative without a mention of Grand Snacks and Sweets would be sacrilege. Founded in Adyar by a Brahmin in the 1970s, he started cooking all delicacies like Murukku, Seedai, Thatta, Mixture, Jangri, Adhirasam, Badam Halwa, Polis etc. in pure ghee. He started humbly in a home supported by his wife and employed penniless women. Krishna Sweets and Sarvana later became popular. There are two classic Tamil recipe books, both decrepit: Nalavima Pakacastiram, published in 1884, and Periya Pakacastiram, published in 1893, which can be consulted in the public library. It contains a lot of information about Madras and the food of the different areas.
Street vendors frequented the streets throughout the day selling various types of sweets such as coconut cookies, shortbread cookies, coconut candy, cotton candy, popsicles, ice cream gola, and kulfi. Back then, eating was associated with a form of love. People did not eat hastily or skip meals. They always made time to eat with their families and ate full meals three times a day. They had never heard of diets. That was namma Madras, now Chennai, a city with gourmet restaurants from all over the world.
– The author is the author of Festive Offerings to the Gods: Divine Soul