Traditional and authentic flavors remain appealing even in this fast-food era. Authentic Andhra flavor explodes in the auditorium of Manor Plaza of The Hindu The third phase of the regional round of ‘Our State Our Test’ cookery contest in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday.
The auditorium was packed with participants from different walks of life who brought dishes involving traditional cooking methods. Two judges, celebrity chefs Sanjay Thumma and Raju, went from table to table to taste and judge each item presented by the contestants based on the candidate’s approach to taste, flavour, food safety, techniques given in making the dish . and presentation skills. The creators of the recipes patiently waited their turn as the chefs quizzed the participants about the ingredients used in their dishes and answered a range of other culinary questions.
Celebrating their culinary talents, the participants prepared an array of dishes with different textures ranging from crispy, crunchy, smooth and juicy, to sweet, salty, sour and even bitter flavours.
Senior nurse at a private nursing home in Machilipatnam, K.K. Vijayalakshmi won the hearts of the cooks and won the first prize with her pomfret fish curry made with a gravy of amaranth green leaves.
J. Shivleela performed the traditional Uttarani ( Achyranthes aspera) leaves and stands as first runner-up. Whereas V Rakesh, a student of Hotel Management, was the second runner up.
Seethamahalakshmi’s ‘Ganji Charu’ (rice starch soup) program was discussed. He prepared a soup using very few ingredients in rice starch which gives instant energy. “This charu (soup) is also ideal for stomach problems such as diarrhea and constipation,” he explained, adding that rice is best consumed in summers as the starch in rice helps ward off dehydration issues . “It should be served with hot steaming rice so that you get the best taste out of it,” she said with a smile. He was given a consolation prize.
Seethamahalakshmi’s ‘Ganji Charu’ has become a surefire recipe for success as this is not the first time a nutritious soup has won her awards and accolades.
regional head of Hindu, Andhra Pradesh G. Srinivasa Rao, Resident Editor Appaji Reddem and representatives of the companies sponsoring the event were present. The grand finale of the event will be held in Vijayawada on January 28.
Gold Winner Cooking Oil was the title sponsor of the event, which was powered by Lifespice and GRB Ghee in association with Preeti Zodiac 2.0 and Bambino Pasta.
Textile partner was CMR Shopping Mall, Banking partner was DBS Bank, Hygiene partner was Medimix, Housing finance partner was Hinduja Housing Finance and Telecast partner was ETV. G Square Group was the realty partner, IOCL was the energy partner, and WACHEF Sanjay Thumma was the knowledge partner.