Manhattan tastes rural Tamil cuisine

Rural meals from Dindigul are celebrated in New York at newly opened restaurant Semma, where chef Vijay Kumar pays tribute to South Indian family recipes and childhood summer holidays

This revolution begins with snails. Snails spiked with ginger and tamarind, then served with fluffy kal dosas to be precise. Pair them with Thalaivaa, a heady glass of Bourbon, spiced jaggery and coconut ice, at New York’s latest tribute to South Indian Kitchens: Semma.

Set in trendy Greenwich, Manhattan, Semma is a world away from the stereotypical naan-butter chicken-vindaloo menus that defined Indian food in America for decades. With Chef Vijay Kumar at the helm, the restaurant plates up food inspired by traditional recipes from South Indian homes. There is a special focus on Tamil Nadu, where the chef is from, hence the name Semma, as well as on items that would be exotic even in Indian cities: those snails for instance.