Kerala entrepreneur plans ‘thattukada’ outlets in Gulf

Aneez Adam at his Thattukada in Kozhikode: Malabar specialitiesBy Ashraf PadannaGulf Times CorrespondentThiruvananthapuramA former Dubai-based investment banker who quit his plum job to pursue his main passion - Malabar’s traditional food - is all set to take it to the Gulf countries.Aneez Adam, 32, an alumnus of the London School of Economics, worked in Dubai for eight years before launching the first ‘Thattukada’ or roadside food stall - Adam’s Teashop - in Kozhikode last month.He plans to open his first offshore outlets in Dubai in four months, at Karama, Barsha and Mirdiff, followed by other cities in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain and in London.As a prelude, he started a week-long NRI festival at his Convent Junction outlet opposite St Joseph Girls High School in the northern Kerala city yesterday for vacationing expatriates.The Adam’s Thattukada offers a wide range of Malabar specialities evolved over the years from the region’s close proximity to the Arabian and European spice traders for centuries.His menu has no trace of artificial additives or colours and he hopes youngsters would shun junk food and turn to outlets like his to stay healthy.“I use a variety of vegetables like carrot and beetroot to give attractive colours. For instance, I add amaranths leaves to give fried chicken the reddish colour,” he said. “Its extract only enhances the taste and health benefits.”Besides, he offers his own inventions like chicken blasts, chicken maram chutti, chicken wrapped-up and chicken hungama - named instantly after every successful experiment.In all, there are more than 30 fried chicken items with distinctive flavours and taste at his outlet which has become a rage with the young crowd. Adam cooks only organically fed chicken, which costs double that of the broiler variety, but still manages to serve them with attractive price tags. He selected his cooks, 12 in all, from street-corner eateries and trained them.Before opening the outlet in front of his house on the busy street, Adam tested the market by setting up a stall at the Mathrubhumi food festival held in January.“I was actively involved in charity activities in Dubai. I decided to quit a straightjacket job for a flexible one hoping to devote more time for the cause,” he said.His aunt Abida Rasheed, an exponent of Moplah cuisine who has conducted several cookery shows and exhibitions across the Gulf, also helps him to identify and revive the culinary traditions of the region.“We used to have 250 to 300 takeaways and 300 diners a day. People come from faraway places like Malappuram, Kannur and Thalassery,” said Adam, who belongs to the Arakkal family, the erstwhile Muslim rulers in Malabar.