A food trail through historic Fontainhas throws up surprises

The best-kept secrets of any culture remain in its cuisine. Taking the first opportunity to dive deeper into the history of original Goan delicacies, I joined a local experiences company on a secret food trail in the heart of Panjim, the state capital.

The colourful streets of Fontainhas in Goa have always been a popular tourist attraction and are a great place to find hole-in-the-wall cafes and bars, selling a part of Goa’s culinary history even today.

With my guide Joshua, we start walking, discussing the intriguing history of Xacuti, the most famous Goan curry made with complex spices. To my enlightenment, I found that Xacuti was born in India, in the kitchen of an Islamic ruler of Bijapur, and does not have any Portuguese provenance.

Delighted with this newfound secret, we step into one of Goa’s oldest cafes, Tato. The interiors of the little cafe have been remodelled with contemporary additions, but their food remains close to tradition.

They offered me a delightful plate of bhajis with a sweet bun, also called Goan Banana buns. Goans prefer their bhajis well defined; hence ‘sukki bhaji’ is a mish-mash of finely chopped potatoes with local masalas, whereas the ‘alsande’ is a kidney bean curry. One can also choose from ‘patal bhaji’ (dry green pea curry with potatoes) or go for a mixture of different bhajis, called ‘sangam.’

Notably, potatoes, a Portuguese import, found their place in Goan cuisine much earlier than most other places.

Careful not to stuff ourselves, we moved to our next stop, a lovely bakery next door called Mr Baker 1922. The name carries its legacy, but the delight is amplified upon meeting Ninnette and Nathan Fernandes, the mother-son duo who run the place now. They heartily treated me with ‘doce’ a Goan fudge made with ‘chana dal’ and grated coconut; Bolinhas is a coconut cookie with semolina, and Perada, guava cheese that tastes like a sweet, chewy melt-in-your-mouth fudge.

Panjim’s bylanes are full of cute nondescript bars serving a refreshing drink of feni and more. Inching into a chilly January evening, I settle myself into the only vacant seat at Ashok Bar, with a plate of hot lamb Xacuti with fresh ‘poee’ (Goan wholewheat bread). It will be fair to say the Xacuti gravy was the best that I had ever tried.

“You can discover a place through its food, and a food trail is the best way to bring this out. Our secret food trails involve going to some of the most authentic places and houses in an area,” said Varun Hegde, founder of Soul Travelling, a company that curates authentic experiences in Goa.

My last stop for the evening was Aires Fernandes’ home in the heart of Fontainhas. They welcomed me with a delicious plate of ‘Forminhas’ (Goan stuffed canapes), ’empadinhas’ (savoury mini pies), prawn rissois (a popular cheese-filled savoury snack) and tea.

It reminded me of the cold winter evenings of my childhood, as I fondly sipped my tea, chatting with Aires and his wife Ayesha, about their passion for making Goan cuisine live through the memory of an experience.

Source: Deccan Herald (https://www.deccanherald.com/specials/discovering-goas-hidden-cuisine-secrets-1087806.html)