The Kolaveri madness has apparently spread from YouTube to kitchens this pongal. Not literally, thank goodness. Yes, Kolaveri pongal was chosen the second best at a recent pongal preparation contest held in the city. The contest, conducted by ID at Sathyam Cinemas, attracted over 300 recipes, the best of which were shortlisted for the finals on Saturday evening. Although the contest started close to an hour late, the innovative pongal dishes on display left judges actress Khushboo and chef Dhamu quite impressed. Oats and apple, Vermicelli Chakkarai, Golden Coconut and Tasty Karamani were some of the innovations of the festive dish that were up for tasting. A few participants made it a point to add to their presentations, traditional elements of decor such as a banana leaf base, carved red capsicums stuffed with peas and sprouts for healthy accompaniment and even statuettes with lamps for effect.
