Around My Kochi!: September 2014

The Mediterranean Food Festival @ Masala, Holiday Inn, Cochin

An unforgettable riot of the Euro-Afro-Asian Flavours!

By- Lt Col D Purushothaman Pillay (Retd)

The secret is out, as to why, the Holiday Inn, Cochin under the able command of their dynamic and inspiring GM Mr Raju Shreshta, has consistently retained its top spot, as one of the best run properties in Kochi today. It is on account of that spark of passionate hospitality one experiences, in every sphere of this hotel, none more so, than their wonderful bar and two exquisite eateries. Their able and proficient team that is being continually nurtured and motivated by an extremely efficient and professional management, exudes limitless enthusiasm and a palpable sense of dedication, in whatever they endeavour.

The best place to experience their famous hospitality is the various food festivals they have been organising lately. I would love to share my delightful experience at the last Mediterranean Food Festival, they had organised a couple of weeks ago.

In the stately comfort of an airy, bright and cheerful ambience of Masala, we were hosted to some signature dishes which had origins in distant geographies, like, Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Croatia, Cyprus, Morocco, Egypt and The Levant. For me the Mediterranean cuisine denotes the coming together of three continents, it has African, European and Asian-Arab influences, that makes it a exciting melting pot of tastes.

Meats and seafood of many varieties that included, duck, chicken, mutton, veal, beef, pork, sardines, catfish basa, mussels and shrimps, were paraded in different forms and interpretations of the Mediterranean gastronomic lexicon.

That memorable Mediterranean experience started perfectly with two exotic soup choices. The vegetarian - 'Soupe au Pistou' - which is a Provencal Vegetable Soup, that was a happy coming together of trimmed green beans, cubes of diced zucchini, squash, carrot and tomatoes, boiled along with stalks of fresh celery and that flavourful chopped light-green and white bottom portion of the leek. The steaming bowl was served along with a floating goat cheese crouton, drizzled with a thick but very smooth pistou, made of garlic, tomato and basil.

For the non-vegetarians the 'Moroccan Harira Soup', was an equally wholesome option. This chickpea stewish soup of tender chicken thighs and green lentils with a hint of rice, topped with cilantro and freshly chopped parsley leaves, was a meal in itself.

Let me start the main course, with what I liked the most. Having that slow poached 'French Duck Confit' was an amazing food experience in itself. This exquisite duck leg that took an overnight 16 hours to cure and a further 12 hours to cook, finally arrived perfectly browned and crisp on the outer skin, one that my ravenous teeth shredded through to discover that meltingly tender inner meat, oozing its own warm brackish fat, as it effortlessly dropped off the bone, to collapse into a salivating mouth. Sous Chef Sanjeev Kammath, the creator of this perfection, got a special hug from me, for this stand out dish.

The 'Croatian Seafood Stew Brodet', from the Dalmatian coast, was another special memory from that evening. I remember that the simple stew with a mix of seafood, dry wine, tomatoes, onions, basil leaves and parsley, was not stirred but layered, so that the delicate, perfectly cooked fillets did not disintegrate.

In the main course, I also got to taste an excellent Valencian round-rice dish, braised in an aromatic sofrito, called the 'Spanish Paella Mixta'. It was a healthy combination of meats, seafood, sausages and vegetables. It came attractively topped with a variety of seared crustaceans that added to the allure of both, the look and taste of this unique dish.

My two boys loved their 'Chicken Shawarma'. They said, it was the best that they have had, in a very long time. That classic Southwest Asian Levantine Arab meat wrap, that was sourced from the fresh shavings of a slow-roasted meat block of pierced boneless stacks of thighs and breasts of tender chicken, enticingly rotating on vertical rotisserie spit, that tantalizingly resided along a constant blue heat source, was served with a delicious sesame paste having that tangy garlic-lemony note, called Tahini. Mind you this combination was deliciously addictive and the wrap was a hit. This fast food, of Arab descent, has slowly nudged its way, to most cosmopolitan street-sides, on every continent of this planet. It is fast becoming a wholesome meal choice, for the global audience and my two kids.

The taste of Cyprus was ushered in, by that sublime lightly spiced pork marinated and cooked in Greek red wine, going by a charming feminine appellation-“Afelia”. Where the red wine infused sweetness, the coarsely crushed coriander and onion seasoning, balanced the flavor with a certain sourness. Thus for me, other than the meat, it was the savoring of this balance of delicate flavors on my taste buds, that I still remember very fondly.

Egypt got represented with a 'Macaroni Béchamel'. It was a delectable bake, rich with loads of healthy spinach infused between two dense yet soft layers of macaroni, soaked in the silky smooth creaminess of the béchamel sauce. A hint of nutmeg, cinnamon with the freshly chopped thyme and parsley, took that dish to a new level.

Last but not the least, that mouth-watering 'French Boeuf Lyonnaise', was the juiciest beef sirloin steak one could sample. It came dressed with the classic French Lyonnaise Golden Potatoes garnished with caramelized onions and a green salad with fresh lean dough, crisp crust baguettes.

In addition to the major highlights mentioned above, that festival of flavors also included, 'Greek Aubergine Stew', the Italian golden risotto balls with a gooey mozzarella core called 'Arancini', crisp 'Moroccan Grilled Sardines' and a spectacular array of tempting ambrosial desserts.

It would be appropriate to complement the brilliant team of the experienced Master Chef Joji Joshua, his expert second-in-command Michael Saju, the talented new Sous-Chef Sanjeev Kammath and the livewire F & B Manager Ganesh Chalangodan, for putting together such an imaginative menu, imbuing all those subtle flavors I have just talked about. It was an evening to remember, one where I was overwhelmed by the flavors of a marvelous cuisine that I relished immensely. I would love them, to think of an encore soon. Thank you Team Holiday Inn and keep it up. I am already looking forward to your next festival, whatever be it, because I know you have put together a dream team that could nail any flavor.