"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." -- J.R.R. Tolkien, author of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Ambot Tik (Sour and Hot Red Curry)

Ingredients

1/2 Kg fish – shark, sardines, prawns or any other 'fleshy' fish
10 dried red Kashmiri chillies
1/4 tsp cummin seeds
4 peppercorns
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
4 garlic cloves
1/2 inch piece of ginger
a marble sized ball of tamarind mixed in some hot water
1 onion, finely sliced

2 tblsp oil
Salt to taste

Vinegar to taste (optional)

Method

Clean and wash the fish. Cut into small steaks, rub in some salt and set aside. Grind all the other ingredients except onion into a paste with a little water. Keep aside. Sauté the onion until soft and light brown. Add the reserved paste and fry for a minute. Add about 1 cup of water. Bring to boil then add the fish. Cook on low till fish is tender. Do not stir so as to avoid breaking up the fish. Just shake the pan a little to let the gravy move around in the pan. Season with salt and a little vinegar if you like some extra tang . Serve with some steamed rice or sannas.

Ambot tik tastes even better when served the next day as the flavours have time to meld together into a glorious sour and fiery red gravy and is guaranteed to tickle your taste buds, have you licking your lips and wanting some more.

Mackerel Cutlets

Goan Fish Cutlets or Fish cakes are known as "Almon”. Almon comes from Portuguese name Almondegas de Peixe which means "Fish meatballs".  Here is a recipe for those in search of the perfect Goan fish cutlet, one you can enjoy as a starter or in between some soft bread with some green chutney as a Goan fish burger.

Ingredients

6 medium sized Mackerels (gutted, scaled, cleaned and kept whole)
1 tsp Turmeric Powder

2 tsp Vinegar

2 big Onions, finely chopped

1 tomato, finely chopped
3 Green Chillies, minced (or more if you like the heat)
2 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste

2 tblsps oil                                                                                            

A small handful Green Coriander, chopped
1 Egg
2-3 bread slices, soaked in some water
Juice of one lime
1 tsp Pepper Powder

Salt to taste

1 Egg to coat the cutlets

Rice flour/Semolina

Oil to shallow fry

Preparation

Steam the fish in a little water with the turmeric powder, vinegar and some salt to season, cool. Drain the fish, remove the bones and shred the flesh well using your fingers or a fork. Set aside. 

Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions till soft and light brown. Add the ginger garlic paste, tomato and green chillies and fry till the tomato is cooked. Cool this mixture and add it to the mashed mackerels. Add the lime juice, egg, beaten lightly, coriander and soaked bread that had been squeezed. Season with salt and pepper.  Mix well.

Shape into cutlets; coat them with the egg and  rice flour or semolina and shallow fry till brown  and crunchy on both sides. The mackerel cutlets can be served hot with some lime and some tartar sauce.

Mawa Cakes

I have been craving Mawa cakes for some time and so decided to recreate them in sunny Goa. My introduction to Mava Cakes happened when I lived in Mumbai, while doing my undergraduate studies at St. Xavier’s College near Dhobi Talao. We students spent as much time in Bastani and its equally old rival, Kyani & Co. as in our college canteen. Their distinct old-world charm - the high ceilings, dusty chandeliers, slowly turning ceiling fans, ubiquitous antique wall clock, quirky instructions and posters on the crumbling walls, chequered table cloth and the endearingly eccentric people who run it made the delicious  and cheap food they served even more enjoyable . 

Baking was brought to Bombay by the Portuguese before it was gifted to the British as dowry, with the technique of yeast bread or the pau as we know it. Initially it was to supply the army the army with sustenance. The demand for the pau and the bakeries further grew as the British took over and early migration began. Over time the Iranis capitalized on this demand and by 1901, there were 1400 bakeries, according to The Gazetteer.The Irani migrants took the business a step ahead and started restaurants which sold their bakery products as well as non-vegetarian dishes. Slowly, each Irani restaurant developed its own culinary specialities. Britannia in Ballard Estate became famous for its Berry Pulao; Sassanian Boulangerie at Dhobi Talao for its Parsi food. Kyani & Co for its bakery products; New Excelsior café for its kheema-pau; and B. Merwan for its classic Mawa Cake.

These soft, buttery, cardamom-infused cupcakes are a classic tea time delicacy.  Sold rolled in wax paper, they have been a menu staple at Irani cafés and bakeries from the time they opened in Bombay and Pune in the late 19th and early 20th centuries This tea time cake is moist and light, but gets an intense, caramelized flavor from the Mawa or Khoya an ingredient available at dairies and sweet marts in India.  Spiced with cardamom and topped with cashewnuts, this classic cake will make a delightful addition to you next tea party.

For the Mawa Cakes

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

100gm mawa, at room temperature

6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

6 tablespoons whole milk

Pinch of salt

Cashewnut halves (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and position a rack in the middle. Lightly brush with melted butter small  muffin tins or use cupcake liners instead. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients i.e. the flour, baking powder, cardamom and salt. In another bowl, beat together the mawa, butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time and beating well after each addition. Fold in the reserved flour mixture and the milk. Divide evenly among the prepared cake tins, top each with a cashew half if using and bake for 20-25minutes. Serve warm with a hot cup of chai.

For a Goan spin on this recipe, I add 1/4 cup coarsely ground toasted cashew nuts to the recipe for that pop of goan flavor. Of course this isn't a traditional goan recipe, but I know it’s sure to put a smile on the faces of the many Goans who have lived around Dhobi Talao and Marine lines, and remember those lazy mornings in the Irani cafes, sipping tea, eating cake and reading the morning newspaper. Bliss!

Rissois de Camarao

Here is another recipe inherited from the Portuguese. Rissóis de Camarão  directly translated into  english means Prawn Patties. They are actually a deep-fried Portuguese version of pierogies with a creamy prawn filling. The recipe used to make rissois along with the process of dredging them in egg and breadcrumbs and subsequent deep frying ensures its unique texture of a crispy exterior and tender interior. This melt in the mouth snack and starter is a hot favorite at parties and wedding receptions in Goa and one of my favorite  fat-filled guilty indulgences.

Ingredients

For the pastry
2 cups white plain flour
2 cups whole milk
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp butter

For the  filling
11/2 cup shelled prawns, de-veined and chopped
1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 teaspoon of garlic paste
1 cup milk
1 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp grated cheese

Dash of nutmeg powder
Salt and white pepper to taste

To assemble and fry
2 eggs plus 4 tblsp water, lightly beaten
breadcrumbs for coating                                                                                 
Oil for deep-frying

Method

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and fry till onions are transparent. Add the chopped prawns and cook till they turn light pink. Stir in milk, salt and pepper. Mix the flour with a little water and stir into the mixture. Cook till thick and creamy. Remove from heat and add the cheese and nutmeg. Mix well and set aside to cool.

In a saucepan, add the milk and butter. Let it cook over medium-high heat until the milk is scalded. Lower the heat and stir in the flour into the hot milk using a wooden spoon. Keep stirring over low heat until it forms smooth dough and pulls away from the sides of the pan .Take the pan off the heat and allow to cool a little. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work space. Knead the warm dough until smooth and the dough springs back slightly when pressed with your finger. Keep covered while working on following steps.

Sprinkle some flour over your work surface.  Roll out pastry to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out rounds about 2 inches in diameter.  Add 1 teaspoon of the shrimp filling into the middle of the shapes. Fold the dough over to form a semi circle, pressing the edges together.  Dip the rissole into the beaten egg, then into the bread crumbs. Set aside till ready to fry. The crumbed rissois may be frozen at this stage and thawed and deep fried when required.

Add 2 inches of vegetable oil to a large frying pan. Place it on high heat. When the oil is hot, fry the rissois, a few at a time until golden brown. Allow to drain on paper towels and serve.

Caldeirada de Peixe (layered vegetables and fish stew)

 Caldeirada, a well known Portuguese fish stew is a rustic medley of seafood and vegetables.It takes its name from the large saucepan (caldeirão) it's traditionally cooked in. Its ingredients can vary as per personal tastes, generally a combination of fish, a vegetable base, spicy notes from the garlic and pepper or green chillies, tang from the vinegar and tomatoes all brought together with some fabulous olive oil. This stew makes a great supper served with some crusty bread. Here is the Furtado family's version.

Ingredients

10 large mackerel or sardines, cleaned and head removed
4 large onions, sliced
2 large tomatoes, sliced
1 head of garlic, finely sliced
1 inch piece of ginger, finely sliced 

4 tblsp olive oil
1 tblsp vinegar
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
4 bell peppers (red/green)

Green chillies/black Peppercorns to taste
salt to taste

Method

Layer a few slices of onion, bell peppers and tomato in a pan. Place 1/2 the fish over the veggies. Add another layer of onion/tomato/bell peppers and then another layer of fish. Sprinkle with the garlic,ginger and pepper or green chillies. Scatter over the remaining onion, tomato and bell peppers. Sprinkle turmeric over fish.Pour the oil, vinegar and about 6-7 tblsp water over the fish. Add salt as desired. Do not Stir, just shake the pan to move the ingredients around if required. Cook on a low heat until fish is half done.  Cook until fish is tender.

Green Coriander Chutney

Serving Size: 2 cups


Ingredients:

1 fresh bunch coriander

1/2 a small onion

3-4 garlic cloves

1 nickel sized ball of dried tamarind

2 tbsp of warm water

1 ½ cups of fresh grated coconut.

2-3 green chillies

1 tsp of sugar

Salt to your taste

Soak the tamarind in warm water for 2-5 minutes. In a blender first add the coconut then coriander, followed by garlic, chillies, soaked tamarind and finally the onion, sugar and salt.  Grind to a smooth paste. When ready, store it in a covered dish for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. This chutney can be served as a dip along with some fried onion bhajias or is  scrumptious as a spread on some nice white sliced bread along with some butter.