Shravan refers to the fifth month in the Hindu calendar. Beginning
towards the end of July, it usually crosses over to mid-August. There is a
certain austere ambience to this month with Shravan being historically considered
to be the month in which it rains across the country in abundance. After a
blisteringly hot summer, these rains in turn are graciously looked forward to
by farmers as they promise the yielding of a good crop. During the month of
Shravan, it is common practice to abstain from eating fish with delicious
vegetarian food making its way to the fore.
While most of this food has been known to come from kitchens closer to
home, recent times have seen the commercial coming together of various kinds of
vegetarian food on one common familiar platform – the Thali.
At The HQ in Vasco, the ‘Shravan Thali Festival’ is held every year
during the holy month of Shravan. Corporate Chef Raj and his team work
tirelessly on putting together a mouth-watering menu with thali varieties
ranging from South Indian to Goan and North Indian. A sum total of 7 dishes are
on the thali, offering a wide range of delicacies. Everything is freshly
prepared down to the sweet dish. This
menu changes on a daily basis and as such, regulars can opt for a variety of
cuisine. “The Shravan Thali sees a large number of people stepping into The HQ
not only from Vasco but from all over the state,” says Food and Beverage
Manager Francis D’Souza. “It’s a very popular form of cuisine enjoyed by a wide
range of people,” he adds.
Chef Raj also points out the various kinds of dishes on display. These
include the likes of Boondi Raita, Palak Karam, Palak Wada, Hara Dhaniya
Pakoda, Vangi Kapa, Aloo Tikki, Dal Wada, Mirchi Baji, Hara Bara Kebab,
Mushroom Dangar and Lauki Halwa.
In Panjim, one venue which is becoming increasingly popular during the
auspicious period is Forrest, in Campal. Dhiresh Shah, the proprietor of the
venue, goes on to explain why. “We have had this special festival for four
years now. I think the uniqueness stems from the fact that everything is
home-cooked from scratch, with chefs being especially brought in for the
occasion. Apart from the usual suspects on a thali, such as rice, papad and
puris, everything else changes on a daily basis. This ensures both freshness as
well as change for our daily customers,” he says.
Across the week, diners can experience an array of options that include
the likes of Moogachyo Gathi, Valpapdechi Bhaji, Capsicum Lonche, Vyange Rawa
Fry, Chanachye Tonak, Tamde Tival and Toranche Sasav.
Needless to say, whether one is naturally enticed by vegetarian food or
not, any and all of the above is too good to pass up.
