One of the Typical Kerala Mess or Kitchen in Bangalore

One of my introduced me to this kuti Kerala hotel which serves Kerala meals, fish dishes and meat.

Located at the road connecting ESI Hospital junction to the 100 ft road, it’s a place you can easily miss out. However, by noon this place fills up with people who are looking for Kerala meals, fish and other dishes. Most customers are Malayalees who work or stay in the surrounding area.

Today, when I visited this restaurant, I bought Netholi fry. The other day I had bought sardines ( mathi) which was Rs 50 for two pieces.

Are you treating Mathi Well?

What’s there to treat Mathi or Chali ( names for Sardine in Malayalam)? It’s one of the cheapest fish – thought it’s tasty fish, many non-malayalees avoid it as it’s smelly when fried or cleaned and it’s thorny.

Why did I broach on this topic of mathi here? I find this a perennial problem or a problem of bad attitude by small restaurant owners and Kerala mess owners.

When I bought this mathi, it was deep fried to the extend of it almost turning crumbly – close to carbon state. Why are they over frying it? When it’s deep fried, it looses it’s tender flesh – it’s just like eating some fried chips or murukh. Probably, there are people who enjoy fish this way, but what about others who relish the taste of mathi in it’s succulent body. Or can you make two types of four types of fry

1. Mathi fry in chilli, tumeric and sea sat ( Deep fried)

2. Mathi / Chala fry marinated in the above way and shallow fried

3. Sardine marinated in chill and crushed pepper and shallow fried

4. Sardine marinated in chilli and crushed shallots and green chilli and fried

There are many more variations to it, however, these are the four things that came to my mind. The question again is why can’t You make Mathi Remarkable.

Making Insignificant Things SIGNIFICANT or REMARKABLE

Mathi or sardine could be a metaphor for taking extraordinary care to make it a remarkable stuff. Also, in the case of mathi, hoteliers spend the least amount of time to clean and prepare it. Also, they just buy without much scrutiny of its freshness. Why?  Reason is that they find it’s not worthwhile to spend time on the smallest assest on their menu. It’s least priced item and it’s deserves less attention and care. That’s a mistake we all do!

Contact details of this Kerala Mess at ESI Hospital Junction, Domlur

Ph# 8792175265, 9916555849
Location: Next to Jyothi Gas Agency
Half way through the road between ESI Hospital Signal and 100 Ft Road

Common items at this hotel

1. Fish fry ( Anchovy, mathi, Ayala, etc)

2. Chicken and meat

3. Meals, parotta

( Fish varieties depends on the availability. Call them up for the menu of the day)

Other Kerala Mess in Domlur, Indira Nagar, Tippasandra locality

1. Kerala Pavilion Restaurant