The humble Sree Mohan Bhojanalay is iconic in more ways than one. The establishment has been treating the Temple Town of Madurai to authentic Rajasthani food for nearly half a century, and boasts of an interesting history and an enticing menu.
In the Tamil heartland of Madurai, ‘ roti ’ is still a rarity compared to the ‘ sappadu, ’ which involves a seemingly endless supply of rice, vegetables and curries. However, way back in 1968, a lone man from interior Rajasthan set up one of the first restaurants serving North Indian food in the small town. Sree Mohan Bhojanalay, which began as a tea stall selling kachoris and samosas, is today a favourite with the city for its authentic Rajasthani thali . The joint also specialises in Jain food, catering to the handful of residents and pilgrims who come in from above the Vindhyas.
Tucked inside a narrow lane, the restaurant is next to the west tower of the Meenakshi Temple, and retains an old-world charm, with Madras ceilings (high ceilings with wooden beams) and sombre interiors. The food is simple home-cooked fare. Just for a little less than ₹150, the thali packs a slew of subzis, including standards like aloo and pyaz tamatar, peeli and kaalidal , basundi and gulab jamun for dessert, along with a glass of lassi and unlimited phulkas , puris and parathas .
From chai to Bombay meals
Trained in Mumbai and armed with an unflinching enthusiasm for food and business 75-year-old Mohan Lal Santokram Rawal reached Madurai as a young cook five decades ago.
Khoba Roti
Flashing a toothless smile and a colourful bandhani safa , he goes around collecting feedback from diners. “I learnt the recipes and honed my skills at a rich merchant’s house in Bombay. On a vacation to Kodaikanal, he took me along and I stayed for four months cooking for his family,” says Mohan. “Since Madurai was close by, I took a break to visit my uncle. I liked the place instantly and quit my job. With some help from my uncle, I set up a tea stall. Selling a glass of chai for 30 paise, I made ₹1,000 in eight months. It was big money back then, and with that I bought utensils and rented a bigger space for an eatery.”
Mohan gradually built a loving family and a roaring business. “I introduced what was popularly known as ‘Bombay meals’. The idea was to serve roti varieties for lunch, which was a novelty then. Initially, a chunk of my customers were tourists and pilgrims enroute to Rameswaram. Later, the food grew popular among the locals.” Ever since his sons Dinesh and Gautam took over the mantle two decades ago, the restaurant has been growing from strength to strength.
Strict formulae
“It’s the consistency in quality and service that has earned us five-star ratings on popular travel platforms like Tripadvisor,” says Dinesh.
“We continue to procure wheat from Punjab and UP. Our papads come from Bikaner, the achar from Pune and the zatka chutney from Kolhapur. Right from the dollop of ghee on the rotis to the amount of milk and sugar in the basundi , the formulae are strictly followed,” he adds.
Khoba Roti
If there’s one place in Madurai where one can find khoba roti and dal bati churma on the menu for dinner, then it’s Mohan Bhojanalay, asserts Dinesh. A freshly baked khoba roti looks like a basket made of dough. “It takes about half-an-hour to make one ; it’s a signature dish of the Marwar region. A thick sheet of kneaded dough is stretched over a hot overturned kadai ,” explains Dinesh. “One khoba roti is eaten by six to eight people. The roti is shredded into crumbs and mashed with lots of lasooni dal . Some people also like it with ghee and jaggery or chutneys .”
The restaurant is also known for its brand of rabdi , doodhi and lauki halwa , apart from packed namkeens and khakhras that are sold at the counter. “It was by accident that I learnt to make these sweets. Once, I was left with extra mava and experimented in the kitchen. I introduced rabdi and basundi in the menu, and it worked well,” says Mohan. “I am now thinking of adding shrikhand to the list. However, my mantra for success has remained unchanged. It is all about giving the customers ‘ ghar ka swad ’.”
In this weekly column, we take a peek into the histories of some of the country’s most iconic restaurants
Published - November 23, 2017 03:56 pm IST
