Village-style feasting in the heart of the orchard — fresh Kallu, Toddy & White Water with Natu Kodi, Fish, Mutton & more, cooked on open wood fire and served on banana leaf under the open Telangana sky.
🌴 Kallu / Toddy🐔 Natu Kodi🐟 Chepala Pulusu🐐 Erra Karam Mutton🥬 Pachhipulusu🥣 Pappu Charu🫘 Village Dal🥔 Alu Fry🍳 Egg Fry🔥 Open Wood Fire🍃 Banana Leaf
⚠️ Minimum 4 guests · Book 2 days in advance · ₹1,500 / Adult · ₹1,000 / Child
The Sacred Sap
Kallu — The Nectar of the Palm
Called Kallu in Telugu, Toddy in English, and White Water by the cognoscenti — this ancient drink is the soul of village hospitality across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
What is Toddy (Kallu)? Toddy is the naturally fermented sap of the Palm tree — most commonly the Toddy Palm (Borassus flabellifer) or the Date Palm. Skilled toddy tappers, known as Goudas, climb the palm at dawn and dusk to collect the sap in earthen pots. When fresh and unfermented, it is called Neera or White Water — sweet, milky-white, and completely non-alcoholic. Left to ferment naturally through the day, it becomes the mildly effervescent Kallu, beloved across South India for thousands of years.
The taste of Kallu is unlike any commercial drink — slightly tart, faintly sweet, earthy, and alive. It carries the warmth of the soil, the height of the palm, and the skill of the tapper's hands. There is no factory, no additive, no preservative — just a palm tree and time.
"Fresh Kallu drunk under a palm tree at sunrise is one of the most honest pleasures left in this world."
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Neera — White Water
Fresh-tapped palm sap collected before sunrise. Naturally sweet, milky-white, and non-alcoholic. Rich in vitamins and minerals. Best consumed within hours of tapping — it does not wait.
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Kallu — Fermented Toddy
Allowed to ferment naturally through the day. Mildly fizzy, gently alcoholic (2–4%), with a rustic sour note. The drink of harvest, fellowship, and village celebrations since ancient times.
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Tradition & Craft
The Gouda community are the hereditary keepers of palm-tapping craft. Using only a small blade and a clay pot, they produce a drink that has sustained Deccan villages for millennia.
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Cultural Importance
Toddy features in Telugu folk songs, harvest festivals, and rural dawaths. It is considered auspicious in many village traditions and inseparable from Telangana's countryside identity.
Why It Is Good for You
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Natural Probiotics
Live fermentation cultures support gut health and digestion
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Iron & Energy
Rich in potassium, iron & natural sugars for sustained energy
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Vitamin B-Complex
Thiamine, riboflavin and niacin — potent in fresh Neera
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Heart Friendly
Associated with lower cholesterol in traditional medicine
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Anti-inflammatory
Folk medicine uses toddy for liver support & cooling
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Zero Additives
No preservatives, no artificial flavours — purely natural
The Full Dawath Spread
Every Dish on the Banana Leaf
Eight dishes. One wood fire. All served together on a fresh banana leaf — the complete village dawath experience.
Click any dish below to see the full recipe, ingredients, and village cooking method.
Natu Kodi Vepudu
Country Chicken Dry Fry — The Pride of Telangana Village Feasts
Country ChickenBreed
~90 minsCook Time
Iron KadaiVessel
Wood FireMethod
6–8 peopleServes
Ingredients
1 wholeCountry chicken, curry-cut
4 tbspGroundnut oil
3 largeOnions, finely sliced
2 tbspGinger-garlic paste
3 tspGuntur red chilli powder
1.5 tspCoriander powder
1 tspGaram masala
1 tspTurmeric
HandfulCurry leaves
4–5Green chillies, slit
To tasteSalt
GarnishFresh coriander & lemon
Method
1
Marinate: Rub the chicken with turmeric, 1 tsp chilli powder, salt, and ginger-garlic paste. Rest for at least 30 minutes — longer is better. Country chicken needs the spice to penetrate deep.
2
Golden onions: In a heavy iron kadai over wood fire, heat oil. Add curry leaves, green chillies. Tip in onions and fry on medium-low until deep golden — do not rush. This is the foundation of the dish.
3
Masala roast: Add ginger-garlic paste, fry until raw smell is gone. Add remaining chilli powder, coriander powder, and a splash of water. Roast until oil separates completely.
4
Cook the chicken: Add marinated chicken. Stir well to coat. Cover and cook on medium heat for 40–50 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Country chicken is dense — it demands patience. Add small splashes of water if needed.
5
Dry fry finish: Uncover, raise heat. Fry on high, tossing constantly, until masala clings to every piece and edges char slightly. This char is the soul of Natu Kodi Vepudu.
6
Serve: Finish with garam masala, fresh coriander, and a squeeze of lemon. Serve immediately with rice or jonna roti, and a tumbler of chilled Kallu.
Village Secret: Natu Kodi is tough, chewy, and deeply flavourful — nothing like broiler chicken. The chewiness is a feature, not a flaw. The longer it cooks on low heat, the deeper the flavour goes. Rushed Natu Kodi is a tragedy.
Chepala Pulusu
Telangana-Style Tamarind Fish Curry — Sour, Spicy & Deeply Comforting
Rohu / CatlaFish
~45 minsCook Time
Mud PotBest Vessel
6–8 peopleServes
Ingredients
1 kgFresh river fish, cleaned & cut
Lemon-sizeTamarind, soaked in warm water
3 largeOnions, roughly chopped
4–5Tomatoes
2 tbspGinger-garlic paste
3 tspRed chilli powder
1 tspCoriander powder
1 tspTurmeric
1 tbspFenugreek seeds (menthulu)
HandfulCurry leaves
3 tbspGroundnut oil
To tasteSalt & green chillies
Method
1
Tamarind extract: Squeeze tamarind into 2 cups warm water. Strain and keep aside — this sour base is the backbone of the pulusu.
2
Base: In a clay pot, heat oil. Add fenugreek seeds and let them pop. Add curry leaves, onions, green chillies. Fry until onions are soft and translucent.
3
Masala: Add ginger-garlic paste, fry 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, turmeric, chilli and coriander powders. Cook until tomatoes break down and oil surfaces — about 10 minutes on medium flame.
4
Add tamarind & simmer: Pour in tamarind water, add salt. Bring to a boil. Simmer on low heat 10 minutes so raw tamarind taste mellows and gravy thickens slightly.
5
Add fish: Gently slide in fish pieces. Do not stir — swirl the pot. Cook on low heat 12–15 minutes. The fish cooks in the pulusu and releases its juices into the gravy.
6
Rest & serve: Switch off fire. Rest 5 minutes. Serve in the clay pot itself with rice. The mud pot keeps it warm and adds an earthy aroma to every bite.
Village Secret: The best Chepala Pulusu is always made in a mud pot (matti kunda). The clay releases minerals into the curry and the flavour is incomparable to anything cooked in steel or aluminium.
Erra Karam Mutton
Telangana Village Mutton — Slow-Cooked in Red Masala over Wood Fire
Desi GoatBreed
~2 hoursCook Time
Iron KadaiVessel
8–10 peopleServes
Ingredients
1.5 kgGoat mutton, bone-in pieces
4 largeOnions, finely sliced
3 tbspGinger-garlic paste
4 tspGuntur red chilli powder
2 tspCoriander powder
1 tspGaram masala
2 tspTurmeric
½ cupCurd (yoghurt)
HandfulCurry leaves & green chillies
4 tbspGroundnut oil
To tasteSalt & fresh coriander
Method
1
Marinate: Mix mutton with turmeric, 1 tsp chilli, salt, ginger-garlic paste, and curd. Marinate minimum 1 hour. Overnight in cold season is even better.
2
Caramelise onions: Heat oil in iron kadai. Add curry leaves, green chillies. Add onions and fry on low heat 20–25 minutes until deep brown and jammy. This patience gives the gravy its depth and colour.
3
Masala roast: Add ginger-garlic paste, fry 3 minutes. Add all powders with a splash of water. Fry until completely dry and oil surfaces — this step cannot be shortcut.
4
Seal the mutton: Raise heat. Add marinated mutton. Sear on high, turning pieces, until outside seals and colours — about 8–10 minutes. This locks the juices in.
5
Slow cook: Add 1 cup water, cover. Cook on low flame 60–75 minutes, checking every 15 minutes. Add water in small amounts only if drying out.
6
Dry finish: Uncover, raise heat, fry until each piece is coated in a dark red crust. Finish with garam masala and fresh coriander.
Village Secret: Bone marrow of desi goat dissolves into the masala during slow cook — this is what gives village mutton its indescribable richness that no boneless dish can replicate. Always insist on bone-in cuts.
Pachhipulusu
Raw Tamarind Rasam — The Refreshing Soul of Telangana Village Cooking
No cookingRaw + tadka only
~15 minsPrep Time
Clay potBest served in
All guestsServes
Ingredients
Big lemon-sizeTamarind ball
2 cupsWater (room temperature)
2 largeOnions, finely chopped
4–5Green chillies, finely chopped
HandfulFresh coriander leaves
HandfulCurry leaves
1 tspMustard seeds
2Dry red chillies
1 tspTurmeric
1 tbspGroundnut oil (for tadka)
To tasteSalt
SeasonalRaw mango slices (optional)
Method
1
Extract the rasam: Soak tamarind in 2 cups water for 10 minutes. Squeeze and dissolve completely with your hands. Strain to remove seeds and fibre — you want a thick, sour liquid.
2
Season raw: Add finely chopped onions, green chillies, fresh coriander, turmeric, and salt directly into the tamarind water. Mix well. Taste — it should be sharp and mouth-puckering.
3
Tadka finish: Heat a small ladle of oil on fire. Add mustard seeds — let them splutter. Add dry red chillies and curry leaves. Pour this crackling tadka directly into the raw rasam.
4
Serve immediately: Pachhipulusu is served warm or at room temperature, poured over rice. It is not cooked — its rawness is its power and its joy.
Village Secret: During mango season, add thin slices of raw green mango to the pachhipulusu — it adds a fruity sourness that perfectly complements the tamarind. At TMF during April–June, this upgrade is unavoidable and irresistible.
Pappu Charu
Lentil Rasam — Thin, Spiced & Fragrant — The Heartbeat of a Telugu Meal
Toor DalLentil
~35 minsCook Time
Pressure potMethod
All guestsServes
Ingredients
½ cupToor dal (pigeon pea lentil)
Golf ballTamarind, soaked
2Tomatoes, chopped
1Onion, sliced
4–5Green chillies
1 tspMustard seeds
1 tspCumin seeds
2Dry red chillies
1 tspTurmeric
HandfulCurry leaves & coriander
1 tbspGhee (for tadka)
To tasteSalt
Method
1
Cook dal: Pressure-cook toor dal with tomatoes, green chillies, and turmeric until completely soft and mashable — about 3 whistles. Mash thoroughly.
2
Thin it out: Dilute mashed dal with 3–4 cups water to a thin, pourable consistency. Add tamarind extract and salt. This is Pappu Charu — it must flow freely, not be thick like dal.
3
Simmer with onion: Add sliced onion. Bring to a gentle boil on low flame, simmer 8–10 minutes. Onions soften and sweeten the rasam beautifully.
4
Ghee tadka: Heat ghee in a small ladle. Add mustard and cumin — let pop. Add red chillies, curry leaves, let sizzle 10 seconds. Pour over the simmering rasam.
5
Finish: Top with fresh coriander. Serve hot — poured liberally over rice. The ghee floating on top is not optional, it is ceremonial.
Village Secret: Pappu Charu must be thin. Many people make it too thick — it should be thin like water with flavour, not a gravy. When in doubt, add more water. A glass of Pappu Charu drunk straight like soup is also perfectly acceptable.
Palakura Pappu — Village Dal
Thick Toor Dal with Garlic Tadka — Comfort in Its Purest Form
Toor / MoongDal type
~30 minsCook Time
Pressure cookMethod
All guestsServes
Ingredients
1 cupToor dal or moong dal
2Tomatoes, chopped
1Onion, finely chopped
3–4Green chillies
½ tspTurmeric
1 tspMustard seeds
1 tspCumin seeds
4–5Garlic cloves, crushed
2Dry red chillies
HandfulCurry leaves
2 tspGhee
To tasteSalt & coriander
Method
1
Cook dal: Pressure-cook dal with tomatoes, green chillies, turmeric, and salt with 2.5 cups water — 3 whistles. Open and mash completely.
2
Consistency: Unlike Pappu Charu, this dal is kept thick — it should pour slowly, not run. Add a little water if needed to adjust to a dropping consistency.
3
Simmer: Bring dal to a gentle simmer on low flame for 5 minutes, stirring so it doesn't catch the bottom.
4
Village garlic tadka: In ghee, fry mustard and cumin until popping. Add crushed garlic — fry until golden. Add red chillies, curry leaves, onion. Fry onion until translucent. Pour the entire sizzling tadka over dal.
5
Serve: Fresh coriander on top. Serve with rice or jonna roti. The garlic tadka on thick dal is the simplest possible perfection.
Village Variation: In season, palak (spinach) or drumstick leaves (munagaaku) are added to the dal while pressure cooking — this is Palakura Pappu, and it elevates the dish from a side to the centrepiece of the banana leaf.
Bangaladumpa Vepudu — Alu Fry
Crispy Potato Roast with Mustard, Curry Leaves & Village Spice
Country potatoVariety
~25 minsCook Time
Iron KadaiVessel
All guestsServes
Ingredients
6 mediumPotatoes, boiled & cubed
1 tspMustard seeds
1 tspCumin seeds
2 tspRed chilli powder
½ tspTurmeric
HandfulCurry leaves
3–4Green chillies, slit
1 largeOnion, sliced
3 tbspGroundnut oil
To tasteSalt & coriander
Method
1
Prep potatoes: Boil potatoes until just cooked — not mushy. Peel and cut into rough cubes or wedges. They must hold their shape in the kadai.
2
Temper: Heat oil in iron kadai. Add mustard seeds — let pop. Add cumin, green chillies, curry leaves — sizzle 15 seconds. Add onion slices, fry until edges begin to colour.
3
Add potatoes: Tip in potato cubes. Toss well to coat with the temper. Sprinkle turmeric, chilli powder, and salt. Mix thoroughly.
4
Crisp up: Spread potatoes in a single layer and cook on medium-high without stirring for 3–4 minutes. Then toss, spread again, repeat — you want golden crispy edges on multiple sides.
5
Serve hot: Finish with fresh coriander. Serve immediately — alu fry waits for no one. The crunch is everything.
Village Secret: Never overcrowd the kadai. Too many potatoes at once creates steam, not fry. Work in batches if cooking for a large group. The crispy golden edges are non-negotiable.
Kodi Guddu Vepudu — Egg Fry
Village-Style Egg Fry with Green Chilli & Onion Masala
Desi eggsEgg type
~20 minsCook Time
Iron tawaVessel
All guestsServes
Ingredients
2 per personDesi eggs, hard-boiled
2 largeOnions, thinly sliced
4–5Green chillies, slit
1 tspRed chilli powder
½ tspTurmeric
½ tspGaram masala
1 tspGinger-garlic paste
HandfulCurry leaves
3 tbspGroundnut oil
To tasteSalt & lemon
Method
1
Boil & score: Hard boil eggs, peel. Using a knife, make 3–4 shallow cuts lengthwise on each egg. This allows the masala to penetrate deep when frying.
2
Fry the eggs: Heat oil in tawa. Place scored eggs cut-side down. Sprinkle turmeric and a pinch of chilli. Fry on medium, turning gently, until golden-spotted on all sides. Remove and set aside.
3
Masala base: In the same oil, add curry leaves, green chillies. Add sliced onions — fry until deep golden. Add ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, garam masala, salt. Fry 2 minutes.
4
Combine: Return fried eggs to the masala. Toss gently to coat every surface. Cook together 2–3 minutes on medium heat.
5
Serve: Finish with a squeeze of lemon. Serve hot with rice and pachhipulusu. Simple, unfussy, and completely irresistible.
Village Secret: Always use desi eggs — the yolk is deeper orange, the flavour richer, and the texture holds better in the fry than commercial eggs. The difference, once tasted, is unmistakable.
The Setting
In Nature's Lap
Dawath at TMF is not just a meal — it is an experience. Everything happens outdoors, in the heart of our mango orchard.
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Under the Trees
Seated on wooden planks or charpoys beneath mango and palm trees. Dappled sunlight. The rustle of leaves above you. No ceiling but the sky.
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Open Wood Fire
Everything cooked on chulha with real firewood. The crackle, the smoke, the aroma drifting through the orchard — this is the only cooking that matters.
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Clay Pots & Iron Kadais
Traditional vessels that give every dish a character no modern cookware can produce. The clay adds earth; the iron adds depth.
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Golden Hour Kallu
Fresh toddy served in earthen tumblers as the sun dips behind the palms. The light is gold. The Kallu is cold. The moment is perfect.
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Village Sounds
Birds, wind in the trees, the occasional call of a rooster. No screens, no noise. Just the farm, the food, and good company.
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Banana Leaf Served
All eight dishes on a fresh banana leaf. No plates, no cutlery. Hands, leaf, and the best food you've eaten outside your grandmother's kitchen.
Plan Your Visit
Book Your Dawath
Minimum 4 guests · Must be booked at least 2 days in advance
Booking Details
Plan your group, calculate the cost, and reach us on WhatsApp to confirm your date.
Minimum Group Size
4 People
We need at least 4 guests to arrange the full dawath spread, open fire, and serving. Bookings for fewer than 4 cannot be accommodated.
Advance Booking Required
2 Days Prior
Fresh Natu Kodi, river fish, firewood, and farm-tapped Kallu need at least 2 days to source and prepare. No same-day or next-day bookings.
Guest
Per Head
Includes
Adult
₹1,500
Full dawath — all 8 dishes + Kallu / Toddy / White Water
Child(below 12)
₹1,000
Full dawath — all 8 dishes + fresh juice / soft drink
Estimate Your Cost
Adults
2
₹3,000
Children
2
₹2,000
⚠️ Minimum 4 guests required. Please add more guests to proceed.
Total for 4 guests
Estimated total (advance payment may apply)
₹5,000
Before you book — please note:
Book at least 2 days before your planned visit date. This allows us to arrange fresh country chicken, river fish, firewood, and farm-tapped Kallu specifically for your group.
Availability is limited, especially during peak mango season (April–June). Early booking is strongly recommended.