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Going gaga over Goan Sopa Grossa
Radhika D Shyam, Feb 2, 2013
FEASTY

The Goan cuisine is an exotic blend of eastern and western cuisines, writes Radhika D Shyam

Dining in Goa is a cultivated art. The Goan doesn’t balk at a new taste but is quite open to it and adapts it to suit the local palate. The appetizing blend of western cooking and Goan ingenuity, results in exotic and tantalizing preparations. Great pains are taken over the presentation and the garnishing, which make the spread not only gastronomically tempting but aesthetically delectable too.

In any region, there is a multitude of geographical factors that influence its general cuisine. In the beautiful 100km long coastline along the Arabian Sea called Goa, the most predominant factor is undoubtedly its history. The undeniable Portugese influence and intermingling of Arabian and native cultures have left their mark on its cuisine as on other aspects. Goa is unique in the sense that this mixture of East and West co-exists.
Goan cuisine is predominantly non-vegetarian, but there are some very popular vegetarian dishes. Beans, lentils and vegetables are usually grown in the rice fields of Goa after harvesting. Feijoada is made of dried black-eyed beans and a dish prepared with their favourite souring agent is the kokum curry. As for the main course, besides the most staple rice, rice bread is also eaten. Sannas are rice muffins and arrozo is a rice preparation made of basmati rice and other ingredients cooked in mussel or chicken stock and garnished with Goan sausages and olives. Pickles made of green Mangoes are most popular in Goa. A pickle called Korum is quickly made for daily use. Green Mango Chutney is another known spicy accompaniment. Coconut Pickled Fish Relish is a pickle / chutney made of pickled mackerel.

The people of Goa are besotted with seafood. For all practical purposes, ‘fish curry and rice’, is undoubtedly Goa’s staple diet. The typical Goan is a fish eater with his other non-vegetarian preferences being pork, chicken, beef, and mutton. The usual daily meal is fish curry and rice along with other various accompaniments. The evening meal usually consists of a meat dish with a salad or cooked vegetable. Feast days mean a convergence of relatives and friends and an excuse to feast on traditional food.
Soups have been an integral part of the Goan menu from many years. It originated with the serving of ‘Pez’, a rice gruel made of a red quality of rice called ‘Ukade’, served in almost all village homes at around eleven in the morning. This is usually accompanied by a piece of Mango pickle known as ‘Aamli’ in Konkani or dry fish roasted or fried in oil. With the added vegetables and bits of meat, chicken, beef or fish – it is a meal in itself. This version is called Sopa Grossa. Caldo is known as “the soup of feasts” and no wedding buffet spread or important celebration is complete without it.

Goan sweets have their origin both in Portugal and also the local Konkan region. The many-layered Bebinca is the most popular of them all. Each layer is baked before adding on the other; the traditional version has 16 layers! Cocada and Coconut Macaroons are coconut sweets. Dodol is a soft jaggery flavoured fudge. Neurios are basically prepared from flour and a sweet stuffing. Rose-a-coque is a flower like waffle that can be eaten alone or poured over with cream or honey. Empadhindas, Batica, Bolinhas, Fio de ovos and Dedos are other sweets worth mentioning.

The name ‘Goa’ itself conjures up, besides its expansive sun soaked beaches, a picture of feni and Goan cocktails. The popularity of feni, the native alcoholic drink of Goa is clearly seen by the fact that practically every third little house is a ‘Tavern’. In general, the two types of feni available are based on what they are made from. Coconut feni is made from toddy, the fermented sap of the coconut tree and cashew feni is the fermented juice of the cashew fruit. Feni cocktails are a must in every cocktail bar of hotels in Goa. They enhance one’s appetite for food, be it lunch, snacks, or dinner. Sangria, a refreshing drink, is an old recipe that dates back to the early 40’s. It was made to welcome homecoming relatives and guests. This magic still holds good.

FISH MARKETS TO SHUT SHOP FROM TUESDAY

January 28, 2013

FISH MARKETS TO SHUT SHOP FROM TUESDAY
Import likely to be stopped too
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
VASCO/PANJIM/MARGAO: Goa could face a fish crisis with the All Goa Fishermen’s Federation, already three days into its strike, now calling for fish markets to be shut down indefinitely from Tuesday.
Even though Maharashtra and Karnataka have expressed support to the strike, President of Cutbona Boat Owners’ Union, Patrick D’Silva said they would write letters to the fish wholesalers not to import fish from across the border on Tuesday.
Speaking to Herald, John Mendes, President of the All Goa Fishermen’s Federation, said that the decision was taken in a meeting of the federation held at Cortalim on Sunday.
“We have decided that all the fish markets too will have to be shut down from Tuesday. We have verbally intimated all the markets, but we will also be writing to them to remain shut from Tuesday onwards,” Mendes told Herald.
Mendes said that they now also have the mechanized fibre dinghy owners on board who have joined their cause and that from Tuesday the strike will be in total.
“The reasons are clear. Earlier, we used to operate on very thin margins and just about break even. With the Rs 11 increase in diesel that the Central government has decided to put in place, it will be expensive to carry on with our business,” Mendes told Herald.
Mendes claimed that the closure of the fish markets would have a major impact in the State. “Almost 95% of the catch comes from trawlers and since trawler owners across the State have already stopped venturing into the sea, there will be no fish in the market,” he said.
The fishermen especially trawler owners had been on strike since January 23, in protest against the Central government’s decision to transfer mechanized fishing from the agriculture sector to the industrial sector.
The change of sectors translates into a hike of Rs 11 per litre that makes it Rs 61.35 a litre.
Mendes said that they would be travelling to Delhi on Monday and would meet Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar besides also hoping to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and National Advisory Council chairperson and President of the Congress Sonia Gandhi.
“Fishermen from Karnataka and Maharashtra are also supporting us and we will meet Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar to highlight the problems faced by our fishermen,” Mendes said.
“We will urge Pawar to take up the matter with the Union government and resolve our problems. The Federation will also meet the MPs of North and South Goa in this connection,” Mendes added.
Even though the fishermen were on strike for the second half of last week, fish continued to be available in markets in the State either procured through traditional fishermen or from neighbouring States. While there was rise in prices, markets continued to be open selling fish.
However, with the fishermen moving to ensure that the markets too are shut down, fish prices have soared into four digit figures towards Sunday evening. The prices are expected to go up further on Monday, the last day they will be open before the shutdown.
Meanwhile, at a meeting of the boat owners on Sunday, it was resolved to request the fish wholesalers and fish vendors of the Margao wholesale fish market, SGPDA retail fish markets, besides the fish markets at Panjim, Vasco and Mapusa not to open the markets on Tuesday.
President of Cutbona Boat Owners’ Union, Patrick D’Silva said that mechanized vessels from Goa have not ventured out in the sea in the last two days in support of the agitation called by the mechanized boat owners from the west coast of India. “Those vessels which had gone out have all returned back to the jetties. We have decided not to venture out in the sea till our demand for a roll back in the diesel prices is met”, he asserted.

Tivim Social 2012.
Tivim Social 2012 was truly a night of fun and entertainment with lots of dancing, prizes and delicious buffet dinner. Interesting to note how much people cherish their own and ancestral connection with Tivim. Each one relates their own reason for being part of this Social gathering. It was to a great opportunity for people to meet their old and new friends and revive their friendships. There were others who turned up simply to have fun and support a great cause. Patriotic Tivimkars and generous members of the community donated many prizes which added some extra excitement on the day.
This year’s beneficiary was St Vincent de Paul Society of Tivim who provide refuge to homeless women, medical assistance to the sick and help the needy in Tivim. The total amount donated was Rs142, 545/- which was greatly appreciated and acknowledged by St Vincent De Paul Society in Goa.
Fr Clifford D’souza graced the occasion with his presence, blessing of the food and all present on the day. The crowd danced to thenonstop music by CraigDickinson and our upcoming Goan musician Malcolm Britto. As always compere Noel Carvalho was at his best and set the mood right for the evening with games, prizes & surprises. This was followed by our traditional Goan march, masala, line dancing and the latest craze Gangnam Style. It was all in good fun as it was meant to be.
Our sincere thanks to all those who attended, helped us on the day and donated prizes. Wish you all Happy festive season and safe holidays.
With thanks and best wishes
Joe Dsouza

Roland Francis: The Loneliness of Aging: Stray Thoughts of a Toronto Goan
In times past, it was easy being old. In fact ‘old’ in those days meant anyone merely above 50. So a man retired at 55 lived for a year or two and then died while still in his own home. There was no problem for his family or even his wife who usually lived much longer. But now, with advances in medicine, thanks to technology causing nature to be held at bay, being old usually refers to the mid 70’s and beyond. In some cases with many in relatively good health the bar is stretched further. That presents a few problems.
To those who have immigrated temporarily as in the Arabian Gulf or for jobs in Hong Kong and Singapore, there is the constant worry of the old man back home. Distance has been made irrelevant by cheap air travel, but it is not always possible to drop everything even for a short while and fly back to help out during a parental sickness. So you make a few calls and try to get to the heart of the matter. Is it serious? Is the cancer slow spreading rather than aggressively metastasizing? Will the Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s give time and what can I do from here? Do I need to be there if for nothing else than to make him more comfortable than what the folks around him think is sufficient? With sons and daughters in the western hemisphere, those problems are compounded further. There is too much efficiency and too little heart in this part of the world with one’s employment. So you pretend that the problem is not so critical and you delay it until bad luck strikes with a vengeance and senility, non-recognition and even taking of the final breath occurs. And therein lies the Diaspora tragedy of the closest form of human relationships – the Family.

There is an even worse situation that prevails. Mum or Dad have been persuaded that they are better off in England, Canada or Australia in climes different from what they knew, snatched from familiar surroundings, with people who grew to be their friends over a lifetime. They come because the children are all here and they are persuaded that health care is light years ahead of what they would get back there. Then they wilt. They have to be beholden to whomever they live with, meekly saying yes to the son and terrified of the daughter-in-law who didn’t much like them in the first place doing silent battle with the husband about why her parents have not been similarly treated. So this once fiercely independent father and mother who rocked their infants in the soft arms of love and affection, giving them all their time and money which they didn’t always have, through demanding childhood, problem teen times and even the rough paths of young adulthood, find themselves like vulnerable and wounded birds waiting for that predator death to snatch them from misery.

Of course not all experiences are like this. Many children take joy in their parents, treating them like they ought to and not like an inconvenience. Many parents are happy, taking part fully in the lives of the children they live with, learning that their own wise and selfless counsel must be kept to themselves and given only when asked, even if that is rarely. I have seen loving children find scarce money to place their parents in care facilities where comfort and even luxury is compensation for the necessary parting from the family home, finding time almost every day after work to visit, sit and engage in conversation not in condescending manner but with the full dynamism of grateful children.

It is the nature of the Diaspora beast. Children cannot be blamed for not doing enough, only praised when they do. Forget the children, when you have the occasion to meet an older person, drive him or her to a coffee or better still for a nice restaurant meal. Chat. There is always much in life to be proud of that each one brings to old age which could be teased to the fore with little prodding. Watch that sparkle and catch that gleam. Whether doing this or visiting someone known who is in an old age home, you are merely paying it forward. If you reach old age whether you want to or not and you are lucky, someone will gently revive old and pleasant memories for you too.

Comments to: roland.francis@gmail.com