By James Wilkinson

The Kingfisher Lager is flowing like water at Indian restaurants across Australia, as the popular Tamil New Year kicks into first gear.

Serving up a storm: food at Aki’s

Last night (Apr 14), restaurants around the world launched special feasts for the celebration in honour of the ancient Hindu custom of Tamil New Year, including Sydney’s Aki’s restaurant and bar in Woolloomooloo, where a ten dish menu was on offer.

Kingfisher and several Australian wines (including the stunning 2006 Hochkirch Riesling) were matched with the menu, which included traditional New Year sweet meats such as coconut-marinated swordfish, as well as authentic Goan curries and koftas.

Dessert was a spiced Semiyan Pal Payasam, a milky vermicelli dessert in the style of the traditional New Year sweet-milk rice called ‘Ponkal’.

Aki’s chef Kumar Mahadevan told SpiceNews Australian cool climate wines were the perfect complement to Indian food, particularly with the spices featured on the Tamil New Year menu.

Aki’s, which is available to be hired out for functions and events, is featuring the ten-dish Tamil New Year menu until April 23, which costs $65 per person. Beer and wine is additional.

Not just Tamil New Year, April 14 marks the New Year for many South Asian regions, including the Indian states of Punjab and Assam.