Treat from the Temple Town

From Tirunelveli, we moved north to Srivilliputhur. And now we are moving further north to the ancient temple town of Madurai.
Madurai is famous for the Meenakshi Temple with its 4 gopurams. The city was built around the temple & the crowds at the temple bear testimony to the respect that Hindus have for this holy town.

Now, temples apart, lets get to the focus of this blog. Madurai is a crowded place & can be scorching in the summers. And to cool off after your temple visit, Madurai has its refreshing cold drink, the Jigarthanda.

Personally, the Tastemaster never liked it. But it is supposed to be the rage with Maduraiites & it is also supposed to be good for your stomach & for mouth ulcers.The Tastemaster recommends that visitors to Madurai atleast try it out once just for the experience. Ofcourse, if you like it, you can have as many glasses as you want.

The Jigarthanda is available in lots of tiny shops dotting the four sides of the Meenakshi temple. The clientele who visit these shops might range from wage labourers to rich patrons of the temple. This inexpensive drink draws one & all mainly as it is a good thirst-quencher.

The Jigarthanda is made from China Grass, Sarasparilla (Nannari) or Rose syrup, a spoon of icecream ,soaked Sago and milk. Tastemaster found it a bit too sweet, but everyone has their own taste. Admitted, the drink is refreshing.

Away from the Jigarthanda, we move to another delicacy from the temple town. The Kaadai Fry.
Paradoxically, its the last thing you would expect from a temple town. The Kaadai is a variety of wild Quail. You can find this delicacy in most restaurants in Madurai. It basically consists of a whole Quail marinated in chilli powder & spices and then roasted over a fire. The meat is delicious, but be warned that the Quail is rather a skinny bird & expect to have more time licking bones than tasting flesh.

Eating the Kaadai fry is a time consuming process due to the bones. But it can be a pleasure, as you get to savour the flavour of the spices for a long time. Meat freaks who have to eat meat by the sackfuls will be disappointed with this dish.

Well, that was a wide swing. From a cold drink to fried fowl. Be sure to have the Jigarthanda if you visit Madurai. Its safe for all. Non vegetarians who visit can also have a shot at the Kaadai fry.

As an aside, people who visit Madurai may also be intersted in visiting the age old Meenakshi temple.

Cheers!