Madurai Kumar Mess | (ABSOLUTELY AMAZING) Mutton Kola Urundai
The Kumar Mess from Madurai is POPULAR for Mutton Kola Urundai which is nothing but Mutton Keema balls.
Today, I will share the photos and experience of having the mutton kola urundai in all its glory.
You will love what’s going to come, especially if you like mutton!
Today we will also explore the Madurai Famous Mutton Chukka, Parotta and Salna (non-veg gravy)!
Sounds interesting?
Let’s jump right in!
Madurai Kumar Mess
Kumar Mess is a Non-Veg Restaurant, famous for its Mutton Kola Urundai, based out of Madurai (Tamil Nadu). It was started around 1991 as a small venture and then later expanded to many branches in Madurai and Chennai over the years because of its popularity and signature dishes like mutton keema balls.
Kumar Mess is not only famous for Kola Urundai, but for the below as well:
- Nandu Boneless
- Nattu Kozhi (Country Chicken) dishes like Nattu Kozhi Pepper Fry
- Nalli Elumbu Roast (Mutton Bone Roast)
- Fish Roast
- And many many items!
Mutton Kola Urundai has been in my to-do list for a long time. I’ve had kola urundai, but not from the Madurai Kumar Mess.
My husband keeps telling me about the Kumar Mess Mutton Kola Urundai all the time!
So this time we were in Madurai, and we decided to give it a try.
Madurai Kumar Mess – Address
96A, West,
Town Hall Road,
Mela Perumal Maistry St,
Madurai Main, Madurai, Tamil Nadu 625001
Anyone who was brought up in Madurai knows that the city is famous for everything (not exaggerating). This Temple Town is known as the Food Capital of TamilNadu.
It is also known as the “Thoonganagaram” – a city that never sleeps. The city is always alive and full of activity.
You can find food in restaurants even after mid-night!
My husband (who had his schooling and college days in Madurai) used to tell me – how he explored Thiruparankundram hill (Lord Murugan’s Abode) with his friends in the mid-night when it was pitch black and scary, near Pamban Nagar.
They used to get down the hill and rode in bikes and rode to the Periyar bus stand(very popular bus stand in Madurai) for having food. Near the Periyar Bus stand, there were many small shops which serve food even after mid-night.
On that particular day, my husband with his friends, after a scary experience, were very hungry, ate parotta, salna, and mutton chukka to their hearts content, had tea and left to their homes!
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1. Essential Indian Cooking Tools – A Complete Guide for setting up basic Indian Equipment for cooking.
2. Essential Indian Spices – A Comprehensive Guide explaining the basics of Indian Spices which are Important for cooking Indian Foods.
3. How to Cook Rice Perfectly – Learn to Cook Indian Rice using 2 methods – Pot and Pressure Cooker
My husband reminds me how Madurai is a best place for food at any time of the day. Because the same is not possible in Bangalore(to my knowledge), even Chennai to some extent, where one can have food deep in to the mid-night.
It’s always good to have someone who knows Madurai well ( in that case I am lucky to have my husband 🙂 )
Our Journey to Madurai Kumar Mess
On that day, we were roaming around the Sri Meenakshiamman Temple (a historic sacred temple famous for its complicated architecture and 1000 pillars) doing some shopping.
Knowing very well the proximity of “Madurai Famous Jigarthanda” shop, we decided to have Spl. Jigarthanda and Basanthi. A delicious and mouth-watering experience!
After having our heart’s content in the Famous Jigarthanda, we booked an auto.
We were travelling through Simmakkal to Town Hall road. During the journey, many important landmarks in Madurai pass by – like Hotel Royal Court, Madurai Railway Station etc.
We got down at the Town Hall road near Prema Vilas – another famous Halwa (dessert) shop in Madurai. Opposite to the Prema Vilas is the Thanga Regal theatre.
More about Prema Vilas in another post!
Then we walked in the Town Hall road, took the second left and in a few minutes located the Kumar Mess.
As expected, the Kumar Mess at Town Hall Road was crowded. People throng the place for its mutton (goat based) dishes.
We had to wait around 15 minutes to get a table. As soon as the waiter came to our table, the first dish we ordered was the iconic Mutton Kola Urundai!!!
What is Mutton Kola Urundai?
Mutton kola urundai is simply mutton keema balls or minced mutton balls, deep-fried in oil until brown and crisp.
Small chunks of mutton flesh are washed and pressure cooked (until 3/4th is cooked), without adding any water. The extra water left out after cooking is made to evaporate by cooking on high flame for a few seconds.
These cooked chunks of mutton are put into a mixer or grinder and minced to a fine paste.
Shallots and spices like fennel seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, curry leaves, coriander leaves, green chilli, ginger, garlic, coriander powder, chilli powder, grated coconut are ground together to a fine smooth paste.
It is then added to the minced mutton and mixed well. Required salt is added at this stage.
Fried gram (pottu kadalai) is powdered and added to the mixture to help form perfect and firm round balls.
These balls are deep fried in regular cooking oil (refined sunflower oil) until they are brown and crisp.
The Mutton Kola Urundai was priced Rs 30 per single piece. We ordered around 5 pieces. I was very eager to test it out.
I took one of the keema balls and gave a slight pressure to check out its softness. It was as soft as a sponge!
The Kola urundai (mutton keema ball) broke open and revealed its contents. There were many layers of minced mutton woven together.
And when I tasted it – I knew instantly why my husband was talking about it all the time – the inside mutton was very soft and the outside layer was very crispy. The texture of well-cooked mutton and the masala was VERY DELICIOUS!
I gobbled it quickly and went for the other one, and then another one and then one more! You CAN NOT just STOP with only one. It would tempt you to have more!
I LOVED it! I have had kola urundai in the past, but none could match what the Kumar Mess had to offer. The Mutton Keema balls were IRRESISTIBLE and Mouth-Watering!
This dish is very special because of the minced meat which is soft and easy to chew for people of any age.
We then moved on to the next item – Mutton Chukka, Parotta and Salna.
What is Mutton Chukka?
Mutton chukka – small pieces of boneless mutton cooked with fewer spices along with coconut milk and finally garnished with pepper powder and curry leaves.
Try our Lip-Smacking Madurai Mutton Recipes below:
Madurai is known for its Mutton (Goat Meat) dishes. As it turned out, the mutton chukka was a spicy and tasty one!
The real taste of the Indian dishes not lies in having them individually and then moving onto the next one, but combining them together, which elevates the food experience.
Especially the parotta, salna (gravy) and mutton chukka are one of the best combos out there in South Indian Non-Veg Cuisine. And the inclusion of Mutton Kola Urundai takes it to the next level of experience.
What is Parotta?
Parotta is a South Indian flatbread made of maida. It is most popular in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Parotta has a lot of variations like
- Wheat Parotta (made out of wheat)
- Bun Parotta
- Virudhunagar Poricha(Fried) Parotta
- Coin Parotta
- Malabar Parotta
- Kerala Parotta
- Kothu Parotta, etc and many more!
In Tamil Nadu, most of the night street food items contain parotta. (Since parotta is made up of maida, it is generally not considered healthy. Hence it’s a good option to go for Wheat Parotta)
What is Salna?
Salna is a gravy based out of chicken or mutton or vegetables or without any of them (considered as empty salna). Salna is the best side-dish for Parotta.
The road-side and restaurants in Tamil Nadu usually provide salna for chapathi, parotta (other varieties of parotta as well) along with coconut chutney.
And Madurai is famous for Parotta and non-veg salna combination. The Madurai style of eating parotta is – by tearing the parotta into bite-sized pieces, completely soaking them in the salna and then eating them for the maximum yummy experience!
The waiter poured the salna over the parotta. While we were having the mutton keema balls, the parotta was well soaked with the mutton gravy salna. It just improves the taste of parotta altogether.
Taking a piece of parotta, drenching it completely in the salna, then wrapping it with some chukka and then finally placing in the mouth – A total MOUTH-WATERING experience guaranteed!
The spice of the mutton chukka, the crispiness of the parotta and the masala of the salna, blend in well and together produce a DELICIOUS and TASTY experience you will never forget.
NEVER EVER Miss the Mutton Kola Urundai (Mutton Keema balls or mutton meatballs) in Kumar Mess when you are in Madurai!
You will get to know the real taste of Madurai through these Mutton dishes!
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