Kola Urundai: A Minced Meat Wonder Dish from the Heart of Thanjavur

_{Photo Credit: Ashwin Rajagopalan}Just a couple of weeks ago I was at Welcomcafe Kovai, the all-day diner at WelcomHotel, Coimbatore’s newest luxury hotel. The vibe at this restaurant might be contemporary but the menu has quite a few surprises and throwbacks to a glorious past. Most of these revolve around unique dishes rounded up from some of Tamil Nadu’s finest kitchens. After all, even millennials need their fix of traditional cuisine. The cooking styles or recipes haven’t changed at these kitchens for decades. It was the kayir katti kola urundai that was the showstopper. It’s not the first time I’d heard of this dish or sampled it. The origins of these minced mutton balls that are held together with banana fibre strings point towards Thanjavur. It was the legendary Chola dynasty that put this city on the map with the imposing Brihadeeswarar temple at the start of the last millennium. But Thanjavur’s culinary credentials are inextricably linked to the Thanjavur Marathas who held sway over this region between the 17th and 19th centuries. Among the many rare manuscripts at the Sarasvathi Mahal library – one of Asia’s oldest libraries, are documented accounts of recipes. Probably, the first attempt in any part of India to preserve recipes for posterity.
There are many local legends that surround the kayir katti kola urundai. Some that suggest that this is essentially a kebab or shunti (Marathi) that morphed into a local dish. The flavours are unique – the fennel seeds probably set this apart from a dish that the Nattukotai Chettiars in the Nattukotai Chettiarsegion have made their own. A couple of true-blue Chettinad food experts told me that the original kola urundai was made with raw banana before the mutton version became popular. Restaurants like Chandran Mess in Madurai can take credit for adding to the popularity of this dish.(Also read: 10 Famous Chettinad Ingredients)_{There are many local legends that surround the kayir katti kola urundai}During my last visit the owner of this legendary local establishment gave me a quick tour of his kitchen. The squeaky-clean kitchen instantly caught my attention but it was watching his culinary team painstakingly grind down the mutton that was the highlight of my visit. It’s the key to getting the textures of this process right. It’s what makes these scrumptious balls that are crispy on the outside melt in your mouth. The flavours and spices blend seamlessly.  Chandran Mess is the quintessential family run establishment – no packagedmasalas, everything is freshly ground in the kitchen and the flavours are authentic. It also helps that Madurai and nearby towns like Dindigul and Kariakudi (in the Chettinad belt) boast of Tamil Nadu’s finest mutton.The textures of the Kayir Katti Kola Urundai are slightly different from the Chettinad version. It’s crumblier, one reason why the strings help. The ‘No strings attached’ Kola Urundai is certainly crisper on the outside and the major skill is to fry them before they disintegrate in the frying pan. But they are both equally scrumptious – pockets of joy might be a fair description. While both versions are fried, there’s also the Kola Urundai Kuzmhambu where these balls are steamed and dropped into a kuzhmabu (gravy); another Chettinad signature dish. 
 _{The textures of the Kayir Katti Kola Urundai are slightly different from the Chettinad version.​}Kari (Mutton) Kola Urundai
Recipe Courtesy – WelcomHotel Coimbatore(Yield – 12 numbers)Ingredients​​​:
​​
Minced Mutton​​​ 250 gms​​​​
Cloves ​​​​03 ​​​
Aniseed ​​​​03 gms​​​
Dry red chilly ​​​​03 nos
Poppy seed​​​​10 gm
Fried Channa dal​​​10 gm
Green chilly ​​​​01
Coconut Grated​​​ 30 gm
Egg ​​​​​01 
Salt ​​​​​to taste
Oil ​​​​​for fryingMethod:1. In a bowl add the cloves, aniseed, dry red chili, poppy seeds, and green chili and grated coconut.
2. Make a paste with the above ingredients
3. Mix the paste along with the salt to the minced meat. Grind to a smooth paste without adding water.
4. Add pounded fried channa dal  and egg to the mixture.
5. Make equal size balls / dumplings.
6. Deep fry the dumplings and serve hot.To make the Kola Urundai: Mrs Latha Natarajan in Chennai is an expert on Chettinad cuisine and this is her recipe for the gravy (kuzhambu). You can drop the kola urundai into this gravy; it makes a great accompaniment for steamed rice or dosas. • Shallow fry two finely chopped onions, two tomatoes, three green chillies, one bayleaf and three cloves 
• Add the juice of small ball of tamarind, three tablespoons of coconut milk and half a teaspoon of poppy seeds
• Add salt, one teaspoon of chilli powder, one teaspoon of coriander (dhaniya) powder allowing it simmer (Add desired quantity of water) with one drumstick (chopped) and three chopped small aubergines. 
• Add the meat balls once the gravy cooks.  About the Author:Ashwin Rajagopalan is a cross cultural training expert and lifestyle writer. When he's not writing about food, he thinks about gadgets, trends and travel experiences. He enjoys communicating across cultures and borders in his weekday work avatar as a content and editorial consultant for a global major and one of India's only cross cultural trainers.Disclaimer:The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.