As the spring gives
its way to summer, the fields get verdant, the mornings are still misty in the
villages, where at 6.30 in the morning the cars are wet with dew and there’s a
strange chill.
As you leave these villages as this
wanderer often does, through the winding country roads of Loutolim, Rassaim,
Quellosim and Cortalim, you see villages waking up to undertake meaningful
journeys of the day, going to work, to the markets and to school, some with
headgear, and caps; sights that soon fade as the day wears on.
Unlike the slightly surprising ‘winter
chill’, in the mornings in leafy villages, what remains consistent, as you go
into the recesses of Goan villages is the village restaurants, tea stalls and
bars that are always bustling. They are recession, demonetisation and poor
tourism proof. Most of them start early, and do dawn to a little after dusk
operations. Some who double up as bars stay open longer. But Goa’s countryside
is dotted with places which well and truly keep the tradition of village’s life
around taverns and small restaurants. And while this has been the leitmotif of
stories and anecdotes in this column for over a decade, never has this been
brought home very recently when travels have been made specifically to hunt
gems of places in different necks of the woods.
Places like these are truly blessed.
The last two pit stops in this column were to ‘Ramesh’ and ‘Saurish’,
one in Sancoale and the other in Dabolim. Both named after children or
close relatives of the owners. Both use their home kitchens to serve guests and
have been borne out of necessity to make a good living but more so out of a
desire to share their passion for cooking and feeding; and this is a tribute
that they deserve. Not through food awards or Facebook likes and shares or with
bloggers thronging to them and writing reams of copy. But by quite simply,
making the choice, as often as you can, to eat in these places as opposed to
the big ticket restaurants who flaunt trophies and awards.
Every establishment whose business is
the art of good cuisine needs a shout out and awards, which are bestowed upon
them sometimes even for just turning up to participate. and has value for both
the award giver and the award receiver. But the ones which are extensions of
homes and have been serving for generations cannot go wrong with intent or
purpose or authenticity. After all, what you cook at home, passed down
generations cannot be anything but genuine.
And we have documented many such flag
bearers like Sahil of Porvorim who has now started his new restaurant called Sai
Krupa, Cajetan of Bambolim- Siridao, who cooks in the woods by the sea at
his restaurant.
Babazin (the name of the
restaurant)at Reis Margos has moved into the history books of Goan cuisine with
his tisrio, (clams), made in a very spicy gravy and prawn samarachi
kodi with dried mango.
Nazreth D Silva, owner of D Silva’s at
Miramar has played a part in the growth of so many children young adults,
adults and senior citizens with his cutlet pao– (rava fried beef fillets
slipped into pao), pork cream chops, choris pao and cafreal
cutlets
And there are more. Let them remain.
Future dives into the villages of Goa, across Sattari, Bicholim, Ponda and
Sanguem, will help focus on areas where we seldom go to eat. These places and
people need to be preserved. And in our own way, over the course of time, they
need to be recognised on a real platform as true ambassadors and protectors of
Goan cuisine. A fundamental consistency of all these places is pricing. You
will very rarely have a meal which will cost more than Rs 200 to 250 per
person, with a curry, two varieties of fish fry, tisrio, bhaji coconut
milk (in some places) and a vegetable.
Let’s work towards giving awards to
places which have not deviated from delivering Goenkarponn on a plate at
less than Rs 250, with a prayer that they keep doing just that without the
monster of commercialisation taking their essence away.
They are a species that are under
threat. They are our heritage. Which is why when Clube Nacionale of Panjim, was
restored to its old glory, in a manner even more glorious; those who have
sampled the glorious 1950’s onwards, almost felt that an old painting frayed at
the edges was brought back to life, with all the vividness of spring.
The heritage of home cooked Goa food needs to be halted in time,
with each morsel served and eaten, a sliver of what we were.
