Chicken, friends & fun !

Enjoying food with loved ones around a table at the perfect place !! What else can we ask for to brighten our weekend! Presenting ‘Krishnettans thattukada (small makeover shops) at Kattachankuzhy’ !

Food is the road taking me though the actual interest behind this post is to introduce a beautiful place to have country chicken with tapioca or puttu (a South Indian delicacy with rice flour) - “Nadan kozhi pirattu and kappa”. Some of you might have gone already if so join to share your experience and for those not take your bike (cars as well) and go to ‘Kattachankuzhy’ .  Its on the way to Balaramapuram may be 15km or so from the Trivandrum city.  One of our close friends took us to the place. Typical village on the frame but as we reached the hotel  I was shocked to see sedans and SUVs swarming all over the place hardly space to walk. We too joined the long queue to taste and feel the richness of all good flavors.

As we got close I got a glimpse of the much awaited hotel. The hotel is a small house transformed. May be a big ‘thattu kada’ kind of appearance. The front area is divided for us to see how the chicken is being cleaned, marinated and cooked. As we stand we are full with this sight of lovely chickens being processed topped with aroma galore. I was salivating more than the street dog who always drool at the sight of biscuits and milk we reserved for him during our childhood. Back to the scene chickens were neatly chopped by a man with immense speed. Three ladies were devoted to clean and marinate the pieces which then straight landed in sizzling hot pan with very little oil to our surprise. Long wait to finda a place within the hotel. Majority of the customers were either youngsters or middle-aged men and few families. As in any other thattu kada ladies were few in number but a room is reserved for the families. As our chicken is almost ready our turn came and we dashed into the family room to grab a chair and down came the shutter. Perfect  arrangement !  We were actually cut off from the rest of the waiting crowd to enjoy the hot spicy chicken with our near ones. To be honest for the first few minutes it was perfect silence though we were a group of 5 adults and two children. Yummy !! the tapioca melts in our mouth with the spicy chicken never chewy (unlike usual  country chicken dishes) wow…. It was difficult to discern the different spices we tasted in that beautifully cooked chicken as it’s a magical mix I feel. Definitely an awesome must eat dish !! After few minutes we restored our balance and had a nice sweet chat as we enjoyed the food served and great service. All in all -  perfect ambience to intensify the flavors and to celebrate the company of our loved ones.

After the sumptuous lunch our adventure continued. We met the person behind the whole enterprise who lives nearby – Krishnettan (fondly called by the neighbors). A down to earth man in his late sixty. He was delighted to share his experience of this journey of flavors and taste. His wife stood behind with a pleasing contented smile may be the lady behind this success. Now as he retires from active cooking, his son took his role and is now gearing the food ship. Though Krishnettan is a great cook, he love to have food cooked by his wife when he get back home. . . Let him enjoy that homely food and let us enjoy the krishnettan’s kozhi pirattu !

Be careful in choosing the lot to join you as it’s a thattukada kind of ambience. Enjoy the place and stop at Vizhinjam harbor hardly 3km from the spot for yet another lovely evening.

Ee Adutha Kalathu (Recent Malayalam Movie) - Review !

We saw this movie on the releasing day though unintentionally. The movie is yet another new generation stereotype or in few words you can describe it as an uncomfortable, realistic, engrossing movie. Sex hog the stage but in a different dimension !The director succeeded in adding charm to many unpleasant social scenarios intertwined beautifully throughout the film. This is indeed noteworthy! (I wonder as a lay man how could he manage to weave together, the extremes in a meaningful narrative way) The casting was brilliant and the actors brought the best in them. Hats off to Murali and Indrajith (I liked them the most). On the whole a portray so loud yet lucid …

The film depicts side by side two families a filthy rich couple (Murali & Tanushree) in a realization phase that nothing can save their relation and the other (Indrajith & Mythili) living each moment ‘together’ be it pain or poverty in a house erected out of garbage. Though many films had come up with the issues among the poor and the wealthy, the script writer of this film added a different dimension exploiting the Google age. For instance, son searching the meaning of phrases from the every day blows and abuse of his mom by his father lightens the else disturbing scenes. 

Murali is a complex personality battling everyday with himself to lose to reality. His day begins and ends by the brutally offensive statement that his wife is a crap. Ripping the woman in her, every day, is a curtain masking his inner turmoil. The story unveils the root cause of this altered disposition only at an advanced stage. Tanushree portrayed the pain of sacrifice, shattered dreams and the fuming rage as that of a caged animal craving for liberty. To fly far, as far she could from all the knot tying her to the so called home and family. Finally she succumbs to the sugar-coated dirty tongue of the north Indian – caveat much needed ! But no this is not the usual ‘trapped woman stuff’ as you fathom .. Hats off for the story teller for such an incredible twist !! He dilutes all such mind seizing scenes with his unique hilarious touch.

In my view Indrajith scored the most while Mythili displays her versatility. The slang, dialogue delivery and what all he was too good as Vishnu. Struggling to make a living yet holds tight all the morals. For him garbage is his world and when he gets enough to feed his mom, daughters and wife everything is ‘on’. Sex, love, laughter, fun, everything is at it heights. Under a thatched roof amidst the garbage made curios adorning his house they make love while the other couple encased in silky pillows is dying for a kiss. Scene perfect ! When this treasure is nearing a full stop the story unwinds with a blessing in disguise.

Anoop Menon as ‘the laughing stock in police department’ and his investigative Journalist girl friend Lena steals the show with their fabulous performance.

Besides the couples, other social issues related to the influx of North Indian workers, robbery, deserted old age, violence, sex addicts all come into play in the right time adding unbelievable twist to the movie. Although the first half is a bit lagging, second half is a masterpiece. It seems to end in a flip of seconds. Ooohw ! I am absolutely mesmerized. 

On the whole a piercing warning ! Its worth to watch …