Exclusive: Karan Johar’s restaurant Neuma hosts an ode to South Indian flavours

Karan Joharrsquos suave restaurant ndash Neuma recently transpired into a hotbed of authentic South Indian dishes Housed in the 19thcentury colonial bungalow in Colaba the diner collaborated with culinary maestros Sandeep Sreedharan and Sophie Radtke for their newly launched lsquoSouthern Odysseyrsquo PopUpAfter making waves in Austria Hungary Thailand and Germany the chef duo is enticing Mumbairsquos palate with coastal innovations from down South Whatrsquos unique about the menu we ask ldquoPlacing South Indian flavours on the global map is the essence of these popupsrdquo remarks SandeepWith over a decade of expertise in South Indian cuisine he aims to democratise comfort food by making it accessible to the world His beau Sophie compliments him by infusing her Austrian culinary style without drowning the flavours with excessive spicesChef Sandeep Sreedharan and Sophie RadtkeStarting from Mahe in North Kerala the chefs have curated legacy dishes from the kitchens of Goa Tamil Nadu and Karnataka topped with French and Italian flavour profiles With Keralas local street food like Pazham Puri banana fritters to Carpaccio from Italy this popup is a journey of flavours from across continentsAs we begin tasting Sandeep regales us over a childhood memory ldquoDuring school days my mother used to pack jackfruit cutlets as a meal for lunch which left an indelible mark on my sense of taste When I sat down to curate the offerings for this popup I knew I had to include the cutlets as they have been an integral part of my upbringingrdquoNaturally this was our cue to try out the dish A bite into it and we were immersed in a series of savoury sequences The cutlet was soft on the inside while mildly crunchy on the outside Curious about the preparation we ask Sandeep for his secret hack He whispers ldquoMixing jackfruit pulp with potatoes and frying it to a light crisp intensifies the dishrdquoThe chef duo believes that simplicity is the key to gastronomic brilliance With this ideology they have infused the fundamental spices used in Kerala kitchens ndash roasted coriander red chillies and black pepper Basic quite literally What distinguishes the use of these spices is how they are roasted to have the perfect colour and grounded to have a perfect consistencyIn Kerala the hand pounding of masalas is a traditional culinary technique celebrated for its authenticity and depth of flavours As we speak we are taken back to Sreedharanrsquos native town where women use large wooden mortars and pestles like a musician does her instruments In the meadows of Mahe they pound spices and herbs in a rhythmic symphony to unlock the essential aromasThis rhythmic pounding brings us back to Neuma where music is turning tropical with a groovy tempo In Latin Neuma stands for lsquospiritrsquo Embodying the essence of its meaning the luxe European villa surpasses material realms to personify an infectious atmosphere The kind that is swell with kinesis ecstasy and a staggering blend of flavoursSpeaking of gastronomy the next item on the spread was Doodhi Carpaccio At first we devoured the dish from our eyes A gracious serving of coconutyoghurt dressing topped with olive oil pepper and red chillies had our taste buds raining Upon tasting the underlying okra revealed its flavour blended with the creamy paperthin doodhi slices compelling us to eat till there were no bits leftUpon blending European cooking style for the Indian palate ndash Sophie picks the Doodhi Carpaccio as one of the trailblazing dishes on the menu Carpaccio an Italian appetiser is made of tenderly pounded meat or fish often served in a raw state For Southern Odyssey the chef duo innovated with the dish to transform it into a delectable vegan version made from milk dressingJust when we thought we had had the best ndash bang came the Rambutan with Creamy Fermented Cashew Cheese Native to Southeast Asia Rambutan is a tropical fruit that resembles the family of lychee with addon spikes This vegan dish was a revelation of Sandeeprsquos culinary artistry which he devised while experimenting with Goan cashews With the last mouthful we found ourselves thanking the heavens for the chefrsquos existenceBy this moment we acknowledge our oblivion to the depths that coastal flavours carry To assure us Sandeep shares how South Indian cuisine despite its appeal remains underrepresented in European nations ldquoForget about coastal flavours ndash even the iconic butter chicken or biryanirsquos pulsating taste does not echo in those regionsrdquo remarks SandeepThis brings to the fore the inherent problem with coastal cuisine ndash World over it is known to be very cheap economically Whenever you mention South Indian food people invariably assume it to be idli sambhar dosa parottabeeffry and the like Hence people discard it as it doesnrsquot come across as an upscale dining experienceldquoFor instance if I price the fish moilee at Rs 50 you will not buy it But the same dish when priced at Rs 500 ndash becomes a gourmet cuisine you would be happy to pay for That is how the perception of our food is flawedrdquo says Sandeep His words ring in the idea of how Kerala food is essentially made for the community Thus many people outside the state remain uninformed about the rich tapestry of its tasteThis gap and misguided perception of South Indian cuisines fuels the essence of Southern Odyssey The journey from appetisers to main course transforms into food lessons taking the gastronome through the soul of coastal India Minimalinappearance yet maximalinspirit ndash That is the feel of each dish on the menu It is light yet palatable tickles the deepest corners of your tongue leaving you with an insatiable craving for moreWhen asked about how it has been working with Sophie Sandeep chuckles ldquoShe is as good as me serving this cuisine to a Jain She understands the gamerdquo The chef duo met when he was interning with EssZimmer ndash a Michelinstar restaurant in Munich Since then theyve crisscrossed continents channelling their unparalleled passion into their craftFinding a companion who compliments your creativity is the stuff of tales However all is not as simple as it looks When two creative brains join forces monumental challenges arise ldquoCreative people have their own minds and to align twothought processes is the real dare We sometimes run into roadblocks but turning that energy into a productive path is what I call ndash artist management and that process is how I make it work for usrdquo shares SophieRecalling a discord from a popup from Germany Sophie shares how she tried to convince Sandeep to not make it too spicy On the other hand Sandeep wanted to stick to his roots and not water down his flavours as they would not taste the same Lastly he bent and dulled down the spices anyway ldquoAnd then people expressed how they expected it to be spicier as they were emotionally prepared to brace Indian flavoursrdquo confesses SophieThe moment demanded reflective analysis from the chefs People on international waters are willing to savour authentic Indian dishes and a secret hack would be to go bold with flavours without compromising on the originalitySpeaking of secrets Sandeep remarks ldquoMy only secret ndash I have no ego that everyone should like what I prepare The trick lies in simplicity and being devoid of priderdquo His USP ldquoI know how to bring core flavours to the table that everyone can enjoyrdquo says the chef who credits his culinary skills to the matriarchrsquos kitchen All his cooking wisdom has sprouted from the lessons passed on by his mother and his motherrsquos friendsParallelly Sophie is a selftaught cook who was always obsessed with food and bingewatching YouTube lessons After arriving in India in 2022 she has been on a journey to embrace the fundamental aspects of Indian culinary methods When asked about how she compares Indian vs Austrian food she comments ldquoAustrian meal is very simple where less ingredients stand in the spotlight Whereas in India chefs use diverse spices and blend them into unique flavoursrdquoTangy coconutty and milky ndash Southern Odyssey stands out as an experiential delight bringing the core of Malabari and Mangalorean treats The popup summarised a journey of flavours that have traversed continents to present flavours whose taste lingers until the next spread is served