Menu

The Samanvaya Table

A vegetarian celebration of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and shared South Indian hospitality.

Menu subject to final confirmation.

The meal continues the spirit of Samanvaya: harmony brought to the table. Tamil Nadu brings comfort, heat, tang, and temple-feast familiarity; Kerala brings coconut, curry leaves, jackfruit, and the gentle richness of the coast.

For guests newer to South Indian food, many dishes are built around rice, lentils, vegetables, coconut, tamarind, yogurt, and warm spices.

Dry, easy-to-hold bites for a quick pause between pieces.

Act I: Intermission Snacks

  • Banana Chips & Jackfruit Chips: Crisp Kerala-style chips with festive crunch.
  • Paruppu Vada: A savory South Indian lentil fritter with curry leaves and spices.
  • Plantain Bajji: Plantain slices dipped in seasoned chickpea-flour batter and fried golden.

Savory bites as guests transition into the reception.

Act II: Pre-Dinner Appetizers

  • Medhu Vada with Chutneys: A crisp-outside, soft-inside savory lentil doughnut.
  • Mini Idli with Sambar: Steamed rice-and-lentil cakes with a tangy lentil vegetable stew.
  • Mini Appam Bites with Vegetable Stew: Kerala-style rice pancakes with mild coconut vegetable stew.

Comfort, tang, heat, and temple-feast familiarity.

Tamil Nadu Selections

  • Kai Kari Kootu: A mixed-vegetable and lentil dish finished with coconut and mild spices.
  • Vendakai Fry / Crispy Okra: Okra cooked until crisp, flavorful, and festive.
  • Potato Varuval: Tamil-style roasted potatoes with warm spice and crisp edges.
  • Rasam: A light tamarind, tomato, pepper, and cumin broth, sipped or mixed with rice.
  • Curd Rice / Yogurt Rice: A cooling rice-and-yogurt comfort dish served toward the end of the meal.

Coconut, curry leaves, jackfruit, and the gentle richness of the coast.

Kerala Selections

  • Malabar Avial: A mild vegetable medley with coconut and curry leaves.
  • Kerala Vegetable Stew with Appam or Idiyappam: A gentle coconut-milk stew with rice pancakes or steamed rice noodles.
  • Jackfruit Biryani: A fragrant vegetarian biryani where jackfruit brings hearty texture and festive flavor.

Familiar anchors and accompaniments for the full buffet.

Universal Crowd-Pleasers

  • Paneer Khurchan: Paneer with onions, peppers, tomatoes, and warming spices.
  • Dal Makhani or Dal Tadka: A rich black lentil dish or lighter yellow lentils finished with tempered spices.
  • Butter Naan & Tandoori Roti: Soft and smoky flatbreads for scooping paneer, dal, and stew.
  • Basmati Rice, Raita & Papad: Rice, cooling yogurt, and crisp wafers to complete the plate.

A sweet close with North Indian warmth and Kerala payasam traditions.

Desserts

  • Moong Halwa: A warm, rich dessert made from moong dal, ghee, sugar, and nuts.
  • Ada Pradhaman: Kerala payasam with rice ada, jaggery, and coconut milk.
  • Chakka Pradhaman: A beloved jackfruit payasam with jaggery and coconut milk.