Karaikudi Restaurant at Market Street (Lebuh Pasar), George Town, was the surprise find that I kept returning to again and again.
Chettinad Cuisine is the Spice of Life
Growing up with a curry-loving dad, Indian relatives, friends, and neighbors, including spices in our diet, is only a natural process.
My only regret is not picking up Tamil as a youngster, although Dad speaks the language fluently.
Our household’s breakfast could include bread, porridge, noodles, nasi lemak, nyonya kuehs, dewy soft appam, or two smothered in coconut chutney.
When I started working in Tanjung (the central banking district of Beach Street), lunch was a kaleidoscope of choices.
These ranged from Chinese-style chap fun to Hainanese Chicken Chops, Beef Noodles, Roti Canai, and the satisfying Banana Leaf Lunch.
“Follow me to my favorite creamy Butter Chicken in Penang,” I often tell my friends when they suggest a Friday date night.
How do you eat in an Indian Restaurant?
In an Indian restaurant, the rice, dishes, and condiments are laid out on a green banana leaf.
It is customary to eat all that deliciousness with your bare hand. (Use only the right hand)
An Aussie friend, Charles, who had survived for months in India, described it as making love to your food.
He is so right in every sense.
I always start with a bold Rasam, a spicy, sour soup prepared using kokum or tamarind juice as a base.
This soup in a cup helps stimulate the appetite and aids digestion.
My rice drenched in curry is slushed with Tairu (a fresh creamy yogurt) that tempers the spiciness of other dishes.
I started with Banana Leaf Cuisine in the 80s.
In the 1980s, my colleagues and I would congregate for our Friday lunches at our favorite Susila Restaurant on Penang Street.
A chicken set lunch back then was only RM2.80 before the hike to a dizzying RM3.20!
Nowadays, I have to stay far away from the mounds of white rice drenched in a spicy curry.
Although given, the lure of hot white rice and curry is simple, essential, and satisfying.
Where to find Chettinad Cuisine in Penang?
Penang is a great place to experience authentic South Indian food, particularly Chettinad Cuisine.
The taste is more decadent and spicier than its North Indian counterpart.
Karaikudi Restaurant serves a variety of Southern, Northern, and somewhat harder-to-find Chettinad Cuisine.
If you’re looking for a place to eat good, reasonably-priced Indian fare, my recommendation is Karaikudi.
I eat there several times a month when I’m not traveling.
This restaurant is located on Little India’s Market Street, which is not too far from Komtar Penang.
We know Karaikudi for its delicious and mouthwatering dishes emphasizing spices.
The restaurant serves the traditional taste of Chettinad Cuisine for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.
Karaikudi Restaurant Unique Chettinad Cuisine
Chettinad Cuisine is the cuisine of the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu.
What is Chettinad cuisine, and what makes it so unique?
Chettinad cuisine is loaded with distinct aromas and flavors.
The cuisine is well known for using various freshly ground spices.
Cumin, fenugreek, fennel, clove, bay leaf, turmeric, and tamarind contribute to the complexity of flavors.
Traditional Chettinad cuisine uses many spices, such as star anise, whole red chilies, fennel seed, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, peppercorn, cumin seeds, and fenugreek.
Even if you have the entire list of spices, replicating the taste is another matter.
The magic lies in the “secret” ingredients—the dried flower pods and kalpasi (black stone flower).
For me, it is the richness of the gravies that is addictive.
They thicken the gravy with tomatoes, coconut, ginger, and whole garlic pips.
Karaikudi Restaurant Great Chettinad Curries
I eat most curries and gravies with rice and rice-based preparations like Appams, Idlis, Idiyappams, Adais, and Dosas.
The mild taste of the rice perfectly complements the spiciness of the dishes.
Don’t worry if you can’t take the heat.
Most meals are accompanied by buttermilk to bring down the heat of the curries.
What are the Chettinad signature dishes?
As the community lives by the sea, seafood is heavily featured in the curries.
The popular dishes are Fish Curry, Crab Masala, and Prawn Masala.
Later, the community included some other animal meats in their diet.
Jungle Fowl, Kada (quail), Muyal (rabbit), and Pitta (turkey) are in their signature dish list.
Is Chettinad food spicy?
Chettinad food is synonymous with spicy, aromatic food. In reality, Chettinad Cuisine has a complex blend of well-balanced flavors.
Chef V.R. says the fiery flavors come from using black pepper and red chili.
How is Chettinad Cuisine served?
Traditionally, meals served in Chettinad Cuisine are on banana leaves. The servings of rice, buttermilk, pickles, papads, and salads follow a specific protocol.
Each dish served should be at a designated space and ordered on the banana leaf.
Chettiars are superstitious, so they prefer to serve their dishes in odd numbers of seven or nine.
Chettinad Cuisine At Karaikudi Restaurant
In recent years, I have liked having bread for dinner and dining at Karaikudi.
With all the gorgeous food defined as a taste of Chettinad Cuisine, South Indian cuisine, and Northern Indian delights, the flavorful cuisines are addictive.
Karaikudi’s Chef’s signature Chettinad dishes include the
- Mutton Chukka Varuval (mutton cooked with onions, spices, and curry leaves)
- Prawn Malai Curry (prawns with cashew nuts and cream)
Hence, there is a weekly craving and expanding waistline courtesy of like-minded visiting friends and even Indian expatriates.
I recommend these for dinner for two, which is more than enough, and an eye bigger than a stomach rules.
Best Items At Karaikudi Restaurant
After eating at Karaikudi for 6 years, I still have not gone through the entire menu.
What are the best items to order?
I seldom order a traditional Mango Lassi, a yogurt-based drink blended with seasonal mangoes and spices. I find this drink too filling during meal times.
I prefer a Triveni Juice, an exotic quick-fix thirst quencher that gives a warming kick after a long day in the noonday sun or nights up late.
Triveni Juice
A triple blended juice containing Mango, Pineapple, and Ginger loaded with vitamin C with great health benefits to help lower cholesterol and improve the immune system.
Mango Lassi
A thick and tasty but filling mango-flavored yogurt drink. I find this too filling for me.
Do you order Starters or not?
In Indian cuisine, deep or shallow-fried vegetables rule the day regarding yumminess.
From Cauliflower Fry, Pakoras, deep-fried Bitter Gourd Chips, Fried Mushrooms Masala, and our favorite lady’s fingers or Okra – Bhindi Masala Fry.
The vegetables are elevated to a crispiness that is both addictive and yes.
Fattening.
Deep-fried vegetables make delicious starters. I kid you not.
Vah Chef’s Kakarakaya Vepudu Indian food recipe, which uses a bitter gourd and spices, looks tasty. He caramelizes the onions and spices with a pinch of sugar and fries them to perfection.
Bitter Gourd Chips (Karela)
Sliced bitter gourd marinated with spices and deep-fried, best served hot.
Bitter Gourd Chips are a tasty way to serve bitter gourd, and they are good for diabetic patients who may not like the bitter taste.
These crispy chips are flavorful and addictive to munch on.
Bitter Gourd Chips
Crispy Cauliflower Fry
Cauliflower, rice flour, cornstarch, deep frying, red chili.
The texture is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Crispy Cauliflower Fry
As usual, it doesn’t take that much to make me happy. Spice is the way to my heart.
Dosa, Chapatti, Naan, or Briyani
I often prefer Roti, Dosai, Chapatti, or Naan to mop the delicious curry gravy. An Egg Biryani is good, too, as the rice is soft and fragrant; it goes well with the dishes.
One of the best biryani rice I had was the sumptuous Hyderabadi Biryani, reputed to be cooked in copper pots over a charcoal fire for a far superior taste.
Fluffy grains and the fragrance fit for a king.
I remember complaining bitterly when the restaurant on I-Avenue closed down.
Rumali Roti
They serve this tasty roti folded and rolled at Karaikudi.
It is thin and opens up beautifully like a large handkerchief.
Lachha Paratha
Lachha Paratha is a popular Paratha recipe from North India that is made from whole wheat flour.
In Punjabi, “Parat” means layer, and I can see the beautiful layers on the Paratha when it gets cooked.
Kashmiri Naan
This Naan bread is dotted with cherry bits, desiccated coconut, and cashew nuts, and it tastes excellent with Butter Chicken.
The folded handkerchief size Rumali Roti with Lachha Paratha in the foreground.
All my favorite dishes for dinner!
Best Butter Chicken in George Town
We ordered butter chicken, and I fancy Karaikudi does the best version in George Town for the price.
Murgh Makhani
Butter Chicken is a mildly spiced curry created in the kitchen of the Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi, India.
With its roots in Punjabi cuisine, this heavenly dish has two primary ingredients: ghee and butter aside from masala spices, tomatoes, and Tandoori Chicken!
Need I say more of its thickening, silky smooth curry?
Murgh Makhani, or Butter Chicken, is a mildly spiced curry.
Fish Curry
Fish Curry gets tastier the day after. Usually, I will order this as a takeaway dish.
The Fish is fresh and cooked in thick curry gravy with medium pieces of Fish, small sliced onion, tomatoes, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala, red chili, and green chili.
Once, I ordered two Palak Paneers!
Jade green Palak Paneer is a Punjabi dish of pureed spinach seasoned with garlic, garam masala, and other spices with cubed paneer (homemade cottage cheese).
Beautifully seasoned, this “baby’s food” complements the other curries and is mild.
Ladies Finger Pepper Fry
Sliced lady’s finger deep-fried and sauteed with pounded black pepper is recommended for veggie lovers who enjoy a spicy dish.
Palak Paneer
This Indian cottage cheese dish with spinach is smooth and well-flavored with ground spices and green cardamom, imparting a nice flavor.
Palak Paneer has a smooth, lovely taste.
Aloo Mutter
They make this vegetarian dish from potatoes and peas in a creamy spiced sauce.
They cook the sauce with garlic, ginger, onion, tomatoes, cilantro, cumin seeds, and other spices.
Chettinad Desserts
We do well to cut down on sweets. Think of Sizzling Brownies topped with ice cream.
The saccharine, smoky sweetness hangs in the air and clings to hair and clothes.
It is that good washed down with Chettinad Bru Coffee.
Sizzling Brownie
A freshly baked chocolate brownie topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzled with chocolate fudge is served on a sizzling hot plate.
Caution: The ice cream and fudge can be boiled.
Chettinad Bru Coffee
A smooth, fresh cow milk coffee perfectly ends my meals.
Masala Tea
The Masala Tea has beautiful clove flavors, star anise, cinnamon bark, and cardamom.
Karaikudi Restaurant Review
I recommend Chettinad Cuisine at Karaikudi, one of Penang’s best restaurants.
I am sure you will add this restaurant to your regular haunts.
My friends and I keep returning to this restaurant, one of the best places to eat in Little India.
Karaikudi Restaurant
GPS: N05″ 24.994′, E100″ 20.424′
20, Lebuh Pasar, George Town, Penang
Telephone: 04-263 1345/ 263 1359
Hours: Daily, 11.00 AM to 11.00 PM; closed on Deepavali
Facebook: Karaikudi Restaurant
