I entered a contest via Twitter for a free meal to trial Chef Anand George’s new summer menu. I was one of the lucky seven to win! The theme of the new menu is “Deep Blue” as Chef is introducing a variety of fish and seafood dishes to the menu for summer.
I had a trial menu so the dishes that I write about here may have change slightly or be presented in a different manner. What will not change however is Chef Anand’s flair for making each dish a beautiful harmonious symphony!
Our appetizers consisted of a trio of Mirror Varuthathu: mackerel fillet marinated with chili, turmeric and lemon served with a rice vermicelli salad and herb butter, The Green and Gold: a refreshing salad of mango and avocado, and Tuna Pillow: spiced tuna croquette in crispy breadcrumbs. The mackerel was spicy but definitely not overpowered by the spice, the tuna was delicate with a wonderful contrast of texture and the salad was smooth, cooling and refreshing. All 3 dishes were very distinct as instruments in an orchestra but they were harmonious together.
This was followed by Spirit of the Sea, an incredibly succulent loin of swordfish marinated in fresh mint and coriander and grilled in the tandoor. This was served with a chili and garlic risotto. The swordfish was perfectly cooked. This is a fish that if not cooked properly can be very dry and tough. The marinade was very subtle allowing the wonderful flavour of the fish to shine through. The risotto was not a traditional runny risotto but a risotto cake adding some punch and heat to the dish.
We were then served an apple and green chili sorbet. I personally prefer a sorbet that cleanses the pallet and the chili in this sorbet was burning instead of soothing.
Our main course was Halibut Kokum, an authentic Kerala Boatman curry. Kokum is a fruit, native to the western coastal regions of Southern India and is used to add a sourness to dishes like tamarind would. The kokum was smoked so the sauce had smoky and sour flour that complimented the halibut.
The halibut was served with green vegetables sautéed with cashews, coconut, mustard and curry leaves. The vegetables were infused with a wonderful flavour from the aromats and also were a great balance to the spicy halibut curry.
A dessert of Mango Crème Brûlée with fresh mango slices sprinkled with Kashmiri chili was the perfect way to end the meal!
Every course was served with an accompanying beer or cider. In the future Purple Poppadom will either offer beer and cider 'pairings' with their dishes or will at least be in a position to recommend a suitable match.
If you haven’t been to Purple Poppadom, I highly suggest you go! Chef George is innovative and pushes the boundaries of Indian cuisine. The result is a beautiful symphony of flavours.
"Deep Blue" launches on Monday 11th June, 2012.
Have a read of Corpulent Capers review as well http://www.corpulentcapers.com/purple-poppadom/
Purple Poppadom
Upper Floor
185a Cowbridge Road East
Canton, Cardiff, CF11 9AJ
Tel: 029 2022 0026
This all sounds delicious, can’t wait to try it!
Love the look of the halibut kokum. Smoky and sour fish curry. Sounds right up my street.
Great meal there tonight, I had the Halibut Kokum and stir fried veg. My companions had the lamb shank. Great flavours everywhere showing off the meat and fish so well. Starters, rice, breads, desserts; all outstanding. The Brooklyn lager really worked well with the kokum sauce so I’m guessing the guys giving the advice know what they’re talking about
“Deep Blue”… a bit Zoolander though?
Thanks for the review!