The city's craze for Indian food is being further stoked by the Sofitel Hyland Shanghai's recent launch of "Pondicherry - Indian and French Cuisine."

The hotel has invited visiting guest Indian Chef Kaliyaperumal Shangmugam and Durairasu Paranitharan from Indian Kitchen to present their unique cuisine through the end of this month.

Pondicherry, a city in southeastern India, experienced almost three centuries of French administration. This has resulted in a unique blending of Indian and French cuisine.

"Pondicherry's cuisine has had a strong influence of neighbor states such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, and so has the French lifestyle," said Satish K Nair, head of business of Indian Kitchen Management Co (Zhuhai) Ltd. "Featuring spices such as cloves, cumin and cardamom, it's the chef's job to try to ensure none of the spices lose their flavor and condition while cooking."

Explaining Indian cuisine, Nair said that basically, it is divided into two forms - North Indian cuisine and South Indian cuisine.

"Chettinadu is a small township in Tamil Nadu, which is world famous for its hot and spicy food," Nair said. "The famous Chettinadu cuisine has had a strong impact on Pondicherry cuisine."

The Indian buffet lunch and dinner at Sofitel Hyland costs 218 yuan (US$30) per person and it includes dishes such as Romali Roti, Tandoori chicken and prawn masala. The French influence is present in the French cari Madras and goose liver samosa.

Pondichery - Indian and French Cuisine Promotion

Venue: Mosaic Restaurant, Sofitel Hyland Shanghai, 2/F, 505 Nanjing Road E.

Date: through January 31

Tel: 6351-5888 ext 4281

(Shanghai Daily January 12, 2008)