Team Herald
PANJIM: Christmas is probably one of the loveliest seasons of all. Christmas reminds Christians of how the Son of God Jesus Christ took birth on Earth like a humble child.
Christmas also reminds us that one — like the wise men of old — should seek Jesus Christ and His teachings.
Besides, the spiritual celebrations, Christmas is also about feasting on the choicest of sweets. Goa has a rich tradition of Christmas sweets, which are made at home. Dodol, Bebinca, Marzipan, Baath/Badca, Bolinha, Doce de Grao, Neoreos and Kulkuls are few of the most delicious sweets of authentic Goan Kusvad, whose secrets have been passed on from generation to generation in the State.
With an intention of promoting traditional sweet making, Caritas Goa organised a ‘Christmas Sweet Bazaar’, at Caculo Mall, on Thursday and Friday. The traditional Goan Christmas sweet makers showcased their secret sweet-making recipes, ahead of the Christmas season.
Women from several self-help groups from Quepem participated at the ‘Christmas Sweet Bazaar’. Caritas Goa encouraged them to unravel their traditional and authentic recipes of making Christmas sweets and make it available to the general public, who can longer make sweets at home, given their busy schedule.
Marelina Hilario, a traditional sweet maker, from Quepem brought traditional Dosh, Pinagre, Neoreo, dodol, badca. She says all members of the self-help group start making sweets on December 21, so that the sweets are ready to be sold on December 22 and 23, at Caculo Mall, as they have been doing for the last few years.
Lourdina Carvalho, from Prakash Self-Help Group, Ambaulim-Quepem had prepared Sannas, Dosh, Neoreo, Pinagre, Dodol, Bebinca.
She stated that channa dal, coconut, ghee and sugar are used to make the traditional Goan Dosh. Eleven women worked for two days to prepare the sweets to put up for sale. Besides, Caculo Mall, the women put up a Christmas sweet stall at Ambaulim Village Panchayat premises. Also, the self-help group takes orders from families ahead of Christmas.
Joana Fernandes of Ambaulim Self-Help Group, along with her group of 20, prepared Neureo, Dodol, Perada, kulkuls, Badca using traditional ingredients.
She stated that her self-help group called “Sfurti” took two days to prepare the sweets. To make Pinagre, Joana said, “Local boiled rice is ground on a traditional household grinder and then coconut and coconut jaggery is used to make Pinagre. Coconut and rawa is used to make Neureo filling and the outer coating is made from maida.
Succorina Fernandes of Vailankani Self-Help Group from Ambaulim, Quepem, worked with 17 of her members to prepare the Christmas sweets using traditional recipes. In addition to the sweets, she also brought Sorpotel and Sanna, other Goan delicacies, which are also part of the Christmas meal. Like many others, Succorina comes to sell her self-help group made sweets every year for the last five years.
She said, “The response from the public is overwhelming. The 20-member Priti Self-Help Group has been participating at the Caritas Goa sponsored ‘Christmas Sweet Bazaar’ for the last 18 years. Earlier, the ‘Christmas Sweet Bazaar’ was housed at Institute Piedade, Panjim.”
“Although, the ingredients are sourced from the local market, the preparations are all done at home using traditional methods and recipes,” members of the group stated.
“In all the grinding, traditional grinding stones are used to get that distinctive homemade taste and flavour. To prepare the traditional Bebinca, coconut juice is used and layer after layer has to be poured after the previous layer thickens,” they added.
Bebinca, which is one of the most mouth-watering sweets, is painstakingly made with lots of patience and love. Most of the sweet makers present at the ‘Bazaar’ informed Herald that they had baked the sweets on a wood fire using traditional Goan utensils and cookware.