Sunnier climes at Coromandel

This article was first published in April 2001

A chef who has worked at Cochin's Taj Malabar Hotel - the old part of the building is a truly atmospheric place to stay - is now cooking at COROMANDEL in Battersea Rise. Front of house is unusual in that it is led by an Indian woman, a slightly mumsy figure with a cardigan over her sari. Coromandel refers to the south-east coast, the Bay of Bengal, but the menu draws on all of southern India and also Sri Lanka.

Vadai (dumplings), pakodas (fritters) and rasams (spicy soups) should perhaps have been our starters but we chose paneer (cheese) and minced-lamb kebabs cooked in that northern medium, a tandoor. They were good. Kerala chicken varutha curry had that plangent quality that coconut can provide. Mutton poriyal, a dry-spiced dish, was less engaging.

Coromandel has a substantial fish section but the dish I liked best, maybe because it reminded me of eating in Sri Lanka, was cadju curry, an assembly based on cashew nuts which must be the meatiest of proteins for non-meat eaters. In the breads section appams, those lacy-edged, bowl-shaped pancakes made from fermented rice batter which so tenderly cradle a fried egg, are on offer. A couple of those will ensure that you are finding something out of the ordinary in Battersea and maybe the bright yellow walls and the ragas on tape will help transport you to sunnier climes.

Coromandel
2 Battersea Rise, SW11