Head to the ongoing Goan food festival to treat your senses with the aroma and taste of culinary delights from India’s most loved beach state
The Goan in me is always curious about cuisine from the coast and I never tire of it. Naturally then, I gladly set out to experience the Goan Food Festival at Citrus, The Leela, Mumbai.
Chef Surendra Mohan and Chef Judith Mascarenhas (who has come in especially from Goa to lend an authentic touch to the food) offered a great spread. Goan food of Portuguese origin does not really have too many vegetarian options, unlike the Goan Saraswat cuisine. Yet, chefs have now begun to experiment with vegetables often using the Goan spices and masalas. It was heartening to see vegetable Xacuti and pumpkin Ambotik for a change.
Goan boiled rice with pumpkin Ambotik, was what kick started my gastronomic journey. The ambotik was a bit mild in terms of the sourness one normally associates with ambotik. It was less ambot (sour) and more tik (teekha or spicy), as the Goa toddy vinegar was sparingly used, but lip-smacking nevertheless.
The sea food sukha was an absolute delight for the palate. Well-grounded coconut masala, lightly tempered with spices in a thick gravy with liberal amounts of mixed sea food, got my vote immediately. The ingredients in each dish were fresh and the masalas, made from scratch.
Goan weddings are usually incomplete without the customary mixed meat stew, macaroni and vegetables. So I was delighted to find a stew on the menu. Of course, this was a chicken stew, well made with succulent pieces of chicken, but in a lightly flavoured tomato base. Far from the one I have tasted, but an interesting variation and comforting, I must confess.
I saved the best for the last—the Goan choriz or sausage pulao. The pulao was replete with whole spices, fragrant and aromatic, made with the best possible basmati rice. But the sausages which need to be boiled or fried well, were a bit tough. Perhaps not cooked with the pulao itself
Pork Assado or Asado de porco, as it is popularly known, a traditional Portuguese Goan dish was cooked to perfection. The meat was well roasted and had a nice bite and texture to it. Well-marinated, one could actually taste the spices, which tingled my taste buds.
After having relished the home-style Goan dishes, I indulged myself in the traditional Goan desserts, which are legendary—Bibinca, Godshem, Alle belle and more. The Bibinca was flawless with all the layers seamlessly blending and the creamy texture intact. Alle Belle, generously filled with coconut and jaggery, would absolutely melt in the mouth with the maida pancake rolled neatly over it. The godshem, made of rice, lentils, jaggery, coconut and cardamom powder was harmoniously combined and the sweetness was just right. These actually took me down memory lane.
It turned out to be a lunch akin to the one at home, minus the Xit kodi (fish curry rice), albeit with oodles of indulgence. But having savoured all my favourites, I was not complaining. Maybe a siesta after this would be in order, I thought
Open for lunch and dinner, this festival is on till November 30. And if you are lucky, as part of the rotational menu, you may savour delicacies like Prawns balchao, Chicken Cafreal, Shakshakem (crabs) and Fish rechado. So help yourself to a bit of Goa on your plate.
