Andhra Ruchulu attracts foodies in Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam: The menu has 'pandumirchi kodi pulao' made with chillies sourced from Guntur, 'Godavari chepala pulusu', 'avakai' rice which can be paired with chicken or mutton or prawns, among other items in the list. The on-going 'Andhra Ruchulu' food festival at Vivana Hotel, has options for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians to pick up from.

Though the number of dishes that dot the menu seem to be a little short, what makes this festival distinct is the amount of care taken to prepare them to incorporate hand-ground spices sans preservatives, tasting salt and non-permitted colours.

"The idea is to serve safe food to the diners, retaining natural colour and flavours. We are very particular about the ingredients we use for cooking and our kitchen shelves do not have dalda or synthetic food colours," says D Manik Raj, Managing Director of the hotel. The kitchen here is open to those who want to get a glimpse of its maintenance.

The comforting 'avakai pappu annam' and unique 'kakarakai karam annam' are some of the flavoured rice available for vegetarians. Executive chef K Gopal Krishna, who worked in Maldives-based restaurants for a couple of years, says that 'Koremanu fish fry pulav' is done marinating the deep-fried fish and steaming them along with rice over a low flame. "Similarly, 'menthi vankaya karam' rice is dished out using stuffed brinjal with assorted spice powder and steamed with rice.

The process of cooking is pretty slow to derive an outstanding flavour," he explains. Soon the hotel intends to add an array of sea food items to its menu, catering to the needs of locals.