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As a child who was subjected to over-cooked and watery spinach- with its strong irony taste vaguely reminiscent of bitter blood and in that state of damp socks- you can understand a prejudice. And, like other prejudice, it’s rather unjust.
Stir in to your vindaloo for a real boost of taste ©Timothy K Hamilton; Image Credit: Flickr
Spinach is a valuable vegetable which is in season for the whole year providing fresh flavour, vitamins and colour in a most neglected way. It is peculiar, I find, to note that Swiss Chard with its bright stems is becoming the vogue ingredient in such establishments desiring to be seen to be vogue. Seldom though does its even humbler cousin take centre stage which must be to our shame.
In this weather (i.e. the predicted forty hours of Siberian-esque snow) it would be sensible to make use of a vegetable which is still in the garden. One method and which will warm the body and soul must be to make a curry with it.
Goan Vindaloo
Dissect into twelfths two fair sized onions. Open a tin of chickpeas and wash in a sieve. In a large saucepan heat some butter until it froths. Butter is delicious, it gives the best flavour to fry with and a deeper, richer golden hue to the food unobtainable really with oil, and should be used for any of these recipes which require frying unless stated otherwise. Moreover the saturated animal fats increase serotonin production, so will make for happier as well as better fed.
As it does so, put in the onions and stir occasionally until they have lost their raw edge, and become generally translucent. At such point dollop in a large tablespoon of curry paste. There are many good brands available but I check on the label to see if sugar and salt are being deployed over necessarily to bulk out flavour.
Cook the paste out until the onions have taken on a orange glow, at such point put in the chickpeas and coat in the oils, turn the heat down low and pour in a glug of wine vinegar.
Sour and Hot is a combination well attested in Vindaloo, a real curry of Goa. The fumes will clear away any cold. Cover with water, stock or coconut milk (I find creamed coconut is a valuable store cupboard ingredient and a tablespoon would more than suffice in this dish), put the lid on loosely and let it simmer for fifteen minutes stirring occasionally to avoid it sticking.
It is done when the liquor is thicker and substantially reduced. Season with salt to taste. When this is achieved put in a very large handful of washed spinach and clamp the lid down allowing the vapour to wilt the leaves turn up the heat to full. This will be a matter of a minute. Stir in the wilted leaves and serve. Feasibly with rice, or an Indian bread, but the Chickpeas are starch enough for me.
Hopefully you might find here a new perspective on that poor, green thing and let it occasionally take centre-plate. For such little input from the cook, it returns so much in flavour and aesthetics. If you still find it has a bitter taste try adding a little lemon juice which can redeem many a kitchen flop. So let the frumpy spinach have a dance, it might shock you with its high kicks.
Nite in Goa
Rum, Red Bull, and Feni take a back seat to this high octane event!
The G.O.A Toronto magically re-created a starry night in Goa at this extraordinary occasion. The only thing missing was the rolling surf of the ocean. From the moment you walked in and tasted the refreshing chilled coconut water right down to the serving of Goan sweets at the end, this night is going to be one talked about for a while.
The theme was not just about Goa but truly focused on being proud to be a Goan. There were vendors selling savoury sausages and pickles along with taste testing. The dinner buffet was sumptuous with delicacies like sorpotel, sannas, fish and mutton curry, followed by traditional sweet treats like neurios, bolinhas and bebinca. There was no holding back or skimping here as the association provided a great bang for your buck.
The evening was a roller coaster ride through the dazzling entertainment. Miss India-Canada (Manasvi Noel) imparted her journey and experience to the crowd of all ages. She regally encouraged the youth to step up and grab hold of what life has to offer. Her words of wisdom to the participating young ladies as they competed for the crown of Miss G.O.A was to be proud and confident. This was not a pageant judged just on looks alone but on contribution to the community and elevating Goan culture. The questions she asked was, “What are your thoughts on your Goan heritage” and “How would you promote Goan culture in the community”. Thought provoking questions indeed as we try and find ourselves and our true meaning. Congratulations to Tanya Aguiar who won the judges’ favour in winning the crown. Tanya won a free entry into the Miss India pageant and has a chance to enhance her development through this wonderful experience. We wish her well!
“The Goa Amigos” as usual charmed the crowd with their rendition of Konkani songs playing in the authentic Goan music space. Reaching a broader spectrum a young and upcoming group “Memory Lane” was also invited to share the space. They are a highly energetic group who had the people packed onto the dance floor and wanting more. Their versatility as they played to all genres has already gotten them noticed. I cannot wait to hear them again! Kudos also to the ever popular DJ Kaya who added to the dancing shoes on the floor because nobody wanted to leave.
The chocolate covering the strawberry for me was the stunning and hair raising performance by Conchita D’souza and Sharon Peres da Silva. I was awestruck and truly brought to tears by their angelic voices. I have never heard such hauntingly beautiful harmony. Flanked by their entourage of Kirit Mascarenhas on violin, Ryan and Gavin Rodrigues on guitars, and Jonathan Peres da Silva on bongos, there was pin drop silence as everyone was mesmerized. What made the performance even more exceptional is that they sang traditional Konkani songs. I’m sure there were a few shattered glasses and mirrors curtesy of their exquisite vocals.
I was impressed by the number of youth in attendance at this gala. Typically the younger folk are not drawn to customary and traditional goings on. But this is exactly what the association is trying to change as they focus on injecting the pride in being a Goan. Here is what the youth had to say about the night: “The event was amazing….the bands, food and entertainment were all great. We could not believe how much fun we had at the G.O.A event and we are now promoting it on FB and IG”.
No event would be complete without a cake cutting ceremony to acknowledge accomplishments and successes. The proud new president Selwyn Collaco, called upon past presidents of the G.O.A to join him center stage along with community leaders from various associations (CGCG, Manglorean association, Westend Seniors Club) and the hard working committee members. His message rang loud and clear to bring our Goan community together by working collectively to achieve success.
We all have a part to play in bringing about positive change and it’s through associations like the G.O.A that we can accomplish this. The “Nite in Goa” certainly brought this need into full view for me. And as I reflect on pageant questions, I’d like to pose the questions to you: “What are your thoughts on your Goan heritage” and “How would you promote Goan culture in the community”. I’d love to hear from you.
Doreen Fernandez
In my beauty bag: Bernadette Soares
PETER MEECHAM/Fairfax NZ
Bernadette Soares is passionate about beauty and has her definite favourite brands (if Pantene made our hair look like hers, we’d use it too).
Bernadette Soares, 45, is a mother of three who came to New Zealand from Mumbai, India when she was 21.
She launched the Pharo Salon Sugaring System in 2009 and now has 500 salons across Australasia stocking the alternative eco-friendly and less-painful alternative to wax (a busy woman!). She also owns beauty brands Radiessence, Natural Glow and Bodeze (a very busy woman then).
“I wear makeup on weekdays but lighter on the weekend. Even at home I dress well, I don’t really slack off, and it just completes your look.
I was brought up with a lot of natural beauty treatments, and that was my introduction. From very young at six, seven, eight, we were alway looking after our skin and our hair.
First thing in the morning after showering I moisturise with Estee Lauder hydrating and anti-ageing moisturiser. I am always trying out new products but if I had to stick to one moisturiser it would be Estee Lauder. Then I use Radiessence Colour Collection cream – it has an SPF30 – it’s a primer and a very light concealer.
I use Radiessence foundation. I always do my eyes up, no matter what. I have an Elizabeth Arden quad in browns – every time I use one I replace it. My mascara is Isabelle Dupont from Italy, I get it at Makeup Direct. It has a double wand for the base and the overcoat.
Some days I use bronzer and do a bronzed natural look; other days I use an Isabelle Dupont skin corrector which gives you a light powdered look. I quite like some of the Revlon blushes too, and some days I have a pink blush (I don’t like to stay with the same look all the time).
I love my ColorStay Revlon Lipglosses – they do give you a stain that lasts all day. The Natural Glow ones are a bit lighter and just give you a sheen. I prefer lipgloss to lipstick.
I can’t do without my favourite Estee Lauder White Linen perfume. I try the new fragrances that come out but I always go back to it. I have the hand and body lotion and the shimmer powder too.
I’m a huge Pantene fan. I’ve tried all the expensive shampoos – everything – and I’ve always come back to Pantene. Shampoo, conditioner, smoothing serum to take away the frizz, the heat protection mist – I’ve got them all! I always use Livon oil (it’s an Indian brand) on top for a sheen.
I’m a big Zoya fan when it comes to nails – it’s an organic brand from the UK. They have great colours that last a really long time.
Even if I am not going to the beach I will spray my body with one of those SPF cans that you get now – I think it’s a Neutrogena.
I am passionate about beauty – you have to be when you own four beauty brands.”
– As told to Julie Roulston
Goa and the Pain of Alcoholism
by Goa Streets
Drinking during the day at a local bar
Often the ladies pay the biggest price
Maria works as a maid in North Goa, staying at her sister’s place in Saligao with her teenage daughter while her unemployed husband stays back in Margao. Maria heads back home every Sunday and gives her husband a portion of her salary, which she hopes he will use to buy food but inevitably goes to the bottle instead. He starts drinking first thing in the morning, and by noon he’s drunk. The burden of the family rests solely on Maria’s shoulders, and she says she would have left her husband a long time ago were it not for her daughter.
“Who will marry her if her parents are divorced?” she asks.
Maria’s story is repeated thousands of times throughout Goa. Countless men while away their days in an alcoholic haze while their wives keep the families afloat. The high incidence of alcoholism in Goa – mostly among men but sometimes among women as well – is one of the main reasons behind the intense pushes by some sectors of the population to restrict bars, music and nightlife. And the government has yet to find the right balance between attending to the legitimate tourism needs of the state and answering to the constituents who want drinking curtailed.
Indeed, Goa has yet to embark on a serious debate on how best to handle this enormous problem. Is closing down or limiting the hours of bars and wine stores the solution? Or is putting in place programs of prevention and treatment?
“The tourists who come to the state, do not come here to go to bed early. We must offer them at least some avenues to nightlife,” said Nuvem MLA Mickky Pacheco, who was leading the charge of the coastal brigade in the recently concluded session of the Goa Legislative Assembly against a government decision to reduce the timings of bars and restaurants and not give a 24-hour licence.
Keeping him close company, another coastal MLA Michael Lobo contended that such a decision would be the death knell of the tourism industry in the state.
And here’s how Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar weighed in on the issue. “In the name of promoting tourism, we shouldn’t be promoting drinking among Goans. Go for yourselves in GMC (Goa Medical College and Hospital) and see… liver cirrhosis is the cause of maximum deaths in the GMC.”
He added, however, that he was willing to make ‘localized corrections’ for the tourism specific areas.
Both the MLAs and their supporters want the government to go back to an arrangement whereby liquor stores could get an extension from 9pm to 11pm, which they were earlier entitled to after paying 50% of their original licence fee. The government has also disallowed pubs and bars to increase their timings from 11pm to 5am, which they were earlier entitled to do by paying 100% of the original licence fee.
“Goans often tend to overlook the issue of alcohol especially since it is so closely related to our Catholic festivities,” says Dr José Pinto, a practising psychiatrist. “Every time there is an occasion, no matter how insignificant be it a cross feast, right up to a wedding, alcohol is served,” he added.
“Goans are yet to realise the magnitude of the problem,” he said.
Take for example the case of Aldona, a predominantly Catholic pastoral village towards the eastern border of Bardez along the Mapusa River. Its scenic setting makes it a perfect ground for litterateurs, intellectuals and academicians who seek a quiet village life.
With a population of around 6,600 (more than half of whom are women), the Aldona Primary Health Centre has to deal with a shocking number of alcoholics, many of whom relapse after going through a bout of rehabilitation.
“The doctors of PHC Aldona detoxify around 15-20 Alcoholic Dependent Syndrome patients a month on an average since June 2013. There was a need to help them stay abstinent,” Dr Roshan Nazareth, a Medical Officer in-charge of the PHC said. To help cope they set up an Alcoholic Anonymous group which now meets every Thursday.
Over the last five years the state has witnessed 15,137 cases of alcohol dependency detected across Goa. The number of alcohol-related deaths in this period totalled 1536 (one-tenth of alcohol dependents), with the greatest number of cases being in Salcete, the Catholic heartland of the state.
Dr Anil Rane, a lecturer at the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour who has done several studies on alcohol dependency in Goa, has said that there was a strong correlation between alcoholism and common mental disorders.
Quoting studies, Dr Rane said that there was prevalence of ‘hazardous drinking’ in 21% of industrial workers. He added that the problem was particularly acute among the Catholic community.
He has suggested that bars and restaurants be given only a fixed timing to sell alcohol.
“Sale of alcohol should be limited to specific hours of the day such as from 7-11pm. This will ensure that people do not drink at work and also discourages people who limit to social drinking from developing a more abusive pattern,” Dr Rane said.
Statistics made available by the Directorate of Health Services for cases over the last five years. shows that every year around 5,000 new patients receive treatment for alcohol abuse and related diseases, out of which around 500 die each year because of liver cirrhosis or related complications.
Another private psychiatrist Dr Jose Pinto has blamed lack of awareness for people taking to alcohol. “There is a misunderstanding that drinking alcohol is fine, but when they get into trouble they have no one to go to,” he said, adding that alcoholics often lose their jobs, which only causes further frustration and more drinking.
He lamented the fact that despite the magnitude of the problem, Goa still does not have a single rehabilitation or detoxification centre for alcohol and substance abuse, and that awareness programmes conducted by the Directorate of Health Services are negligible.
On the social front, wives of alcoholics have begun to realise the importance of having their own bank accounts. “Having joint accounts or allowing the man to have custody of the money only makes the situation worse. If I have my own bank account at least at the end of the day I have some secruity,” says Rosaline Fernandes, whose husband spends his earnings as a daily wage labourer on the drink.