CORJUEM: Amidst the aroma of spices and the sound of sizzling pans in her small village kitchen in Corjuem, Antonia Maria Dias has spent 60 years of her life cooking and baking traditional Goan delicacies.
From a young age, she learned the secrets of the kitchen under the tutelage of her grandmother, paving the way for a remarkable culinary journey that has taken her to different places and garnered her widespread recognition, Antonia reminisces about the early days of her childhood, when she accompanied her grandmother to weddings and parties, lending a helping hand in any way she could. She fondly recalls her maternal grandmother’s advice, ‘You have to do whatever and however you can do it,’ a mantra that has guided her every step of the way.
Over the years, Antonia has mastered a wide variety of traditional and celebratory Goan dishes, including Vonn, Melgore, boiled prawns, Sambareachi koddi, Soji, and many more. However, her specialty lies in creating exquisite wedding Boll, Dodol and Doce, The demand for her delicacies is staggering, and during wedding season, she is sometimes swamped with orders for 500 Bolls at a time, with people also sending her sweets overseas, where homesick Goan expats long for a taste of home.
Now in her 80’s, Antonia continues to tirelessly pursue her passion. “It is hard work as the preparation process is arduous, requiring patience and energy. I used to scrape 200-300 coconuts, and then blend it with flour and other ingredients till it’s ready for baking. Today, I have hired staff to help me with it,” she explains.
“I maintain a clean and hygienic cooking area,” Antonia emphasizes. “It is vital to me that the food I prepare is not only delicious but also safe for everyone to enjoy.”
Beyond her culinary prowess, Antonia also prepares dry masalas, adding an extra touch of flavour to the dishes of countless households.
With her advancing age, Antonia is unsure of how much longer she can continue her culinary endeavours. “As long as my health permits, I will continue cooking and baking, as people come from very far to order my sweets and masalas and I can’t let them down. God bless all of them for giving me a chance to serve them and nourish them,” says Antonia.
