Fiery pick-me-upper

The banana leaf spread has never failed to lift sagging spirits, especially when one is having a disagreeable day.

By FARIDAH BEGUM
fbegum@thestar.com.my

A BANANA leaf is slapped right in front of you and before you can say go, steam from the freshly cooked rice wafts around for a second or two before your nostrils twitch at the long-awaited aroma of the curries and meat varuval (dry masala).

The banana leaf spread has never failed to lift sagging spirits, especially if one is feeling a little down or just having a disagreeable day.

The five senses awaken at the mention of a banana leaf meal. Yes, the banana leaf meal is definitely a pick-me-up as one anticipates a good and fiery mixture of the thick curries, dry curried chicken or mutton and a freshly fried fish still sizzling while it reaches your single-use banana leaf plate.

Perky spread: The banana leaf meal is definitely a pick-me-up as one anticipates the tantalising mixture of thick curries, meat and salads.

This was evident when our SMS service returned quite a number of recommendations with Krishna Curry House in Jalan P.P. Narayanan (formerly Jalan 222) coming out tops.

A visit to the restaurant found the friendly staff ever ready to serve customers promptly. Proprietor Puspa Rani Kunasingham started this little outfit 23 years ago after being persuaded by family and friends to do so as she was deemed a great cook who actually found pleasure cooking for her husband and three children daily.

The banana leaf spread here is, like in most places, like homecooked food, only with more choices. On any given day, you get three types of vegetables, the papadam (black pea crackers), mooru molahar (dried yogurt chillies) and a coconut chutney of either coriander or mint leaves or of some concoction, besides the lime or mango acar.

A visit to another banana leaf meal restaurant at Jalan Cantek in Section 5 Petaling Jaya was a pleasant surprise. Sri Paandi restaurant, which is located right next to the famous Raju’s banana leaf restaurant, was an authentic meal experience.

The chicken varuval, which I was assured would be good, was heavenly. The generous amount of spices on the dish was a good balance between spice and chilli.

Service was very good with piping hot fried fish and chicken landing on your table with the sizzling sound filling up the atmosphere.

A thumb’s up also for the restaurant’s clean and homey atmosphere.

But rest assured that whatever they serve, you will relish, as they will be tasty and palatable.

The vegetables are usually different on a daily basis and it is not something you can predict by looking at the menu as banana leaf meals are different from other meals – you are at the mercy of the cook or cooks who decide what they feel like cooking on a particular day.

Some of the usual vegetables that would feature in a banana leaf lunch are fried cabbage, spinach, curried chickpeas, spicy young bananas (valeka) and the most welcomed fried bitter gourds (paveka) and the more modern and easy vegetable would be fried bean sprouts, long beans and french beans.

Most of the vegetable dishes are quite elaborate as they incorporate legumes such as lentils, black peas, and beans.

The thing that really draws most people here to banana leaf meals are that the servings can be endless for a single price.

For as low as RM3.50, you are assured of a good vegetarian meal that is both satisfying to the stomach and the soul.

Don’t forget to ask for the health fortifying raasam, which is actually a mixture of spices such as fennel, asafoetida with shallots, garlic and black peppercorns, a little tumeric powder, sauted until aromatic in a bit of oil and tamarind water added to it. Tomatoes are often added to give the zing to this concoction.

For those who want to temper the fiery hot curries and dry masalas, try adding some tairu (yoghurt) into your meal and this helps to line your stomach to cushion the damage that too much chillies can do to your body.