For
years and years, little holes in the wall, some bigger and some deep set in the
woods and the hinterland are all run with the simplest mantra. To move fresh
food produce, from farm to table, or sea or river to table in the shortest span
of time, without putting anything in the fridge. This has been the DNA of Goa’s
culinary experience, and the leitmotif of this column.
It’s been a gorgeous run and each of these places have left a
stupendous aftertaste, the flavour of the lingering morsel, the tinge of the
masala, the freshness of the fish. But what remained, much after the lingering
was the longing, to get back there, not so much as to taste the flavours again,
though that is a given, but to meet the folks who run these places, listen to
their stories again, the point when they were inspired to open their
restaurants, which was, more often than not their homes, and their hearts, with
the simple idea of cooking great food. Their pleasure is in the serving.
One weekday night, this week, we decided to move a casual
conversation of such places in the Aldona, Moira, Corjuem, Uccassaim belt, to
kick-start these journeys. Almost fortuitously, yours truly found himself in
conversation, on another day, in South Goa with very old pals Daryl and Vinesh,
who complete ten years of promoting art and music in Goa with their flagship Art
Escape brand, which is now growing into other eclectic spaces. We met at
Durigo, the old faithful on the Colva Benaulim stretch run by Monica and her
daughter Amanda Cardozo after the old man, the pillar and the sanctum sanctorum
of the spirit of Durigo moved to a much better place revving up the kitchens of
heaven with his delectable Goan cooking. For us, mortals, the tradition of his
culinary excellence has been kept alive by the wife and daughter.
While there are claimants for excellence and expertise over all
or some of the pantheon of Goan dishes, the family that runs Durigo can surely
put their stamp over Aad mass or pork bone meat.
Ginger, garlic, cinnamon, peppercorn, coconut vinegar all do a
medley to get this symphony going, but it’s the succulent pork holding on the
bone softly, almost waiting to be caressed off it, which makes the aad maas,
what it is. One is biased towards their crab masala or their chonak or modso in
rawa masala fry but aad maas is to Durigo what chicken cafreal used to be at
Florentine at Saligao, before the downward spiral happened, leaving both the
cafreal and Florentine, a sad faded copy of its own original. But not so the
aad maas at Durigo, which has been on top of the charts with very few
contenders knocking at its door.
We shall get to a more detailed ground report of the South but
for now let’s head back to the recesses of Corjuem. Two beer loving buddies and
Aldona/ Corjuem boys Sullivan and Elroy offered to be local culinary guides.
What would have been the first stop was Rajdeep at Uccassaim, past the Jagbai
temple. Rajdeep was shut though, a virtual hole in the wall, and nestled
between Uccassaim and the adjoining villages on the road to Mapusa. According
to ground level reports from those who have eaten there the battered squid and
the tandoori chicken are their show stoppers. But more of Rajdeep when it is
open and we step in there.
From Ucassaim, the culinary guides headed to the lovely Corjuem
bridge connecting Aldona and Corjuem. On the other side is undulating land,
grassy woods and some sprawling homes, including of course the stand out one
built by the celebrated grand dame of hoteliering Loulou Van Damme. Crossing
the bridge, one remembered the same ride to Loulou’s home many many moons ago.
But tonight was the night for the ‘Blue Moon’. Pranesh Naik’s home of a
restaurant, literally at the tip of the bridge on the Corjuem side. Not far from
the river bank and spread across two broad sitting areas with a giant screen
for football crazy Corjuemkars, ‘Blue Moon’ is surely a village local which
draws folks from the nearby cluster of villages. Naik is a local panch and runs
salons and other restaurants and shops in the area.
As we sat down, Mumbai FC had cancelled out a two goal deficit
against our FC Goa boys, in an ISL game and we needed a couple of chilled ones
to calm our nerves. By the time the modso rawa masala and the big fried prawns
arrived, Goa had scored again. Sulli and Elroy spoke about beer as they only
know it, both ‘friends of froth’ the most definitive and closely knit Facebook
group , founded by a very dear soul John John Eapen or ‘J.J. the Keg’, who
without even saying his goodbyes, left us all last month, leaving beer lovers
across the country as much as beer makers, stunned and drained. John was beer.
Based in Bangalore, and wanting to move to Goa, he made the love and
understanding of craft beer his life’s mission. And as we now know, he probably
had his last swig of beer while working on his lap top, probably to write
another post. At 42, he had years left to spread his joy and his knowledge with
so many new friends of froth to be added. That journey will continue in his honour,
and yours truly felt that this was a good time as any to pay a little tribute
and raise a small toast to JJ.
By this time the masala squid cooked to perfection arrived. And
Goa scored one more restoring its lead and eventually winning, 4-2.
The Corjuem culinary pit stops are not over yet and here’s a
heads up of where you will get a ground report from soon. It’s called Mhambreys
and is a little space by the water, so tiny that you cannot even squeeze in and
sit. So the folks there get the chairs out and a little table if you are lucky.
These are laid out on the grassy banks of the river. And if you don’t mind the
mosquitoes or go armed with repellents and a couple of scented coils, you will
end up eating some delectable food, with the river in front, sipping your
favourite drink, chilled.
These
experiences are truly born of the soul. And all things born of the soul can
only be felt.
