This month three communities have reason to celebrate. The festivities will be at the maximum as Malayalis celebrate Vishu, their harvest festival, Bengalis Pohela Boishakh, their new year on April 14 and Punjabis, Baisakhi, their harvest festival on April 13. You may belong to any community but if a festival is around the corner, it's time to whip up a feast. Sunday MiD DAY speaks to the city's restaurateurs who serve authentic food about their experiences with these festivals

A childhood of elcheri and injipuli Jomy Nainan of Kutty's

Jomy Nainan is new to the restaurant business, having opened Kutty's along with business partner Wilson John last October. Kutty's serves authentic Malayali food with a sprinkling of Tamilian and Udpi cuisine. Jomy says, "We wanted to do something different. There are so many places that serve Mughlai or Indian dishes." Thus was born Kutty's.u00a0

His business might be picking up but Jomy is as shy as they come. We have to coax and prod him to answer questions about celebrating Vishu while growing up. He finally gives in and describes his experience with the festival. Jomy says, "We have a Catholic background but the tradition of Vishu used to apply to us as well."

Since Jomy grew up in the city, his family could not celebrate the festival exactly like it's done in Kerala a few compromises had to be made.

He gives full credit to this mother, though. "She used to prepare elcheri (raw banana and yam bhaji) and injipuli (a pickle of tamarind and ginger) a day before. The next day she would get up at dawn and prepare the rest of the food." Sadya, which is a traditional Malayali meal consisting of various types of curry, rice and sweet, was prepared and served in the afternoon in the Nainan household. Jomy says that it would have been unfair for his mother to cook everything that was part of the Sadya but she did prepare 90 per cent of the dishes. The best part about the festival for Jomy was the silver coin, money and book that he received from his father as a blessing.u00a0

Jomy has not been home for the last 10 years to celebrate the festival as his job kept him at sea. But that did not wash away his plans of celebrating. "A few Malayali colleagues and I used to celebrate Vishu on the ship. We used to tell the cook what to prepare and then serve it to the others," he says.

Now that he has a place of his own, he ensures that the food tastes exactly like his mother made it. "I go down to the kitchen and make sure that the olan (Long bean and semi-raw pumpkin curry) tastes just like hers," says Jomy, sidestepping the question about any secret ingredients that have been passed down.

Kutty's is having a special menu of only Malayali food on the 14th and have already been getting bookings for the same. Space constraints, though, would not allow for a typical Sadya on a banana leaf, Jomy informs apologetically.u00a0u00a0

Jomy recommends: Aviyal, a mixture of vegetables. Wash and cut all vegetables into pieces. Grind coconut with green chilies and cumin seeds to make a paste. Boil all the vegetables until it is just done. Add some turmeric powder and salt to taste. Heat coconut oil in a pan and toss all vegetables into the pan. Add the coconut paste and beaten curd and gently toss the vegetables until they are coated with the paste and curd. Remove the pan from the heat and garnish it with fresh curry leaves.