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Discover Kochi’s hidden culinary gems: The art of ‘oonu’
Summary
Although sadyas are synonymous with Kerala, there’s a flavour-packed everyday lunch called oonu. Explore restaurants in Kochi that offer this traditional meal with kanjis, rice and a spicy meat fry
‘Meals ready’, ‘oonu ready’, ‘kanji ivide kittum’ are the boards you’ll see going up at most eateries around 12 pm in Kochi. With cafés, and restaurants offering gourmet dining experiences and regional delicacies popping up, Kochi is emerging as a foodie's paradise. When in doubt, Kerala's version of the thali or oonu are always a great choice. Now, an oonu isn’t a sadya. A sadya is a feast featuring at least 20 dishes, but, an oonu has about 5-6 dishes, that includes rice, papad and a side of fish or meat depending on your preference.
Oonu or meals is what mothers and wives lovingly pack into their children’s and husband’s dabbas. It’s simple and effective—it fills you up and satiates you. It is often a medley of flavours, as a lot of times, it’s pothi choru or rice, curry and veggies wrapped in banana leaf or it is chatti choru which is served in one pot.
For those visiting Kochi and seeking local flavours, look out for places that serve the traditional oonu. These will unlock gastronomic experiences beyond the ubiquitous sadya.
The Machli
Located at Kaloor, the restaurant has basic seating and offers a taste of the city's best pothi choru. When the pothi choru is unwrapped, it releases a very distinct aroma of hot food packed in banana leaf. One can choose between white, red or matta rice. There is a particular pothi which is a mix of tangy sambar, beetroot thoran or beetroot tempered with coconut and mustard seeds and aviyal made with curd (a recipe unique to north and central Kerala). And the side for this meal is ayala or mackerel fry, which is crisp on the outside and flaky on the inside. The meal fit for two would set one back by ₹450.
Also read: ‘Kalonji’, the tiny seeds that pack a punch
Kochikaari
If you’re looking for comfort in one pot, don’t look beyond chatti choru at Kochikaari. Located at Maradu, the restaurant is small and without any frills. Chatti choru, which literally translates to rice in a pot, most of the time, comes with a fried egg. At Kochikaari, the chatti choru has rice, cabbage thoran, moru curry, which is buttermilk tempered with mustard seeds and red chillies; coconut chutney and dates chutney; beans mezhakuperatti or french beans tempered with urad and mustard seeds and a side of chicken roast— one could opt for fried chicken too (no, it isn’t the KFC kind). The meal costs ₹200.
Karthiyayini
For a meal with plenty of options, head to Karthiyayini at Kundannoor on Willingdon Island. The rice is served with sambar, moru curry, red cowpea tempered with coconut and spices, dry chutney made from dry prawns and coconut and pineapple pachadi— pineapple cooked in a spicy curd-based gravy. I had ordered a side of kanthari (chilli) squid and fried tiger prawns. The kanthari squid, was a balance of the sweetness from the coconut milk and the heat from kanthari green chilli. The fried tiger prawns with a generous topping of fried coconut was simply splendid. A meal for two, along with the sides can cost between ₹700-900.
Urula
The meals at Urula are quite satisfying, with the usual suspects sambar and moru curry and sides like aviyal (but here, it was prepared with mango, like in southern Kerala). There's vazhakka or raw banana tempered with mustard and spices, and a variation of moru curry with dried prawn. One can order a side dish, like the pothirachi thenga kothu or slow-cooked beef simmered in spices and coconut slivers. This meal will set you back by ₹200.
Brindhavan
If you’re looking for a pure vegetarian option, Brindhavan situated at Palarivattom is your best bet. The place offers excellent meals with sides like a hearty potato curry, aviyal, a vegetable thoran with options for carrot or beetroot), rasam, curd, black chana tempered with coconut and spices and a payasam. One can choose between palada and parippu or dal and jaggery payasam. A meal for one costs ₹150.
Hotel Sahara
A worthy mention in this list would be Hotel Sahara, a tiny eatery, located at Edathala. Famed for it nool porotta (fine, flaky flat bread), the meals are served with flavour-packed sambar accompanied by snake gourd thoran and olan or ash gourd and cowpea in a gravy of coconut milk. Their beef curry is spicy and delicious. The price for one is approximately ₹200.
Nellikka Restaurant
A bonus recommendation would be Nellikka, a restaurant known for serving different types of kanji. Patrons swear by the special kanji, which is rice kanji with spiced tapioca and cowpea stir-fried with spices, served in a bowl. A must-try side dish is the kozhuva or anchovy fry. A meal costs ₹150 per head.
Sumitra Nair is a journalist based in Kerala.
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