Appetites with a local flavour

The beauty of the world lies in the diversity it carries within. With a majestic tapestry of cultures and communities tying the globe into a beautiful entity, there is a multitude of lesser-known groups that occupy a significant part of the world. Isn’t that something we must all look forward to knowing about?

. ‘Food’ is the word that pops up when one talks of the Goud Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) community. Cooking is something they cherish and pay attention to the most intricate details when it concerns food and eating habits! It is believed that the GSB community settled by the River Saraswati in ancient times. With time and foreign invasions, they migrated to Goa and the Konkan region.

. GSB cuisine has over the years been influenced by Goan and Konkan culture. Largely pesco-vegetarians by nature, they relish seafood which they fondly call ‘vegetables of the sea’. A noteworthy factor about GSB cuisine is the use of fresh coconut oil, curry leaves, tamarind, light spices, asafoetida, seasonal fruits and vegetables in abundance to whip up a wonderful variety of delicacies. Parboiled rice is also common in GSB homes.

. Indigenous

. Known to transform almost anything from roots to shoots into innovative wonders, traditionally, the community drew its ingredients from the kitchen garden. This garden consists of ekpani (brahmi), vaali (malabar spinach), bhajji (amaranth leaves), tendle (ivy gourd) and much more. These ingredients from the kitchen garden had medicinal properties to help ward off common ailments.

. “Women from traditional GSB households believed in the power of nature. They had auto tuned themselves to identify the health needs of the family and decided upon the day’s menu likewise. If a member caught a cold, the mother would refrain from using cucumber in any dish. Buttermilk was used to aid digestion and help heal an upset stomach. Various concoctions were made from jeera, kokum and curry leaves to soothe and cleanse the body,” explains Gurudutt Bantwalkar, director, World Institute of Konkani Language at World Konkani Centre, Mangaluru.

. An observation of GSB eating habits suggests that they are less of ‘rice-eaters’ and consume a lot of other food varieties. The dalithoy, a slow-cooked toor dal with an aromatic seasoning of asafoetida, chilly and curry leaves, is eaten as a wholesome meal.

. Curries vary according to seasons and are an inseparable part of GSB food culture. Ambe upkari, a spicy, zesty curry loaded with jaggery, ripe mangoes and spices, is a must in the summer. When the ruthless heat and endless thirst put your spirits down, a warm bowl of ambe upkari is the best appetiser you can find!

. When the rain and winters give you shivers and your body craves for wholesome meals, batate vagu and phanna upkari are the perfect options. Soft potato chunks floating in a thick, spicy and tangy gravy of coconut, tomato and red chillies, the batate vagu preserves body heat, keeping you warm and energised. Phanna upkari is a great choice for fish lovers with the unique flavour of prawns, mackerel or kingfish in a gravy of caramelised onions and coconut oil.

. Sanna polo , spicy and savoury little dosas made with lentils, cabbage and other spices are a filling snack in the evening with a steaming cup of tea. The minimal use of spice in GSB cuisine is mostly influenced by climatic factors. The use of bamboo is yet another uniqueness. Khotto, white batter made of rice and lentils encased and steamed in petite cups of jackfruit leaves is a breakfast item supplying the body with potassium and fibre. Patrado , fresh colocasia leaves rolled up in a spicy batter of grated coconut with lentils and steamed or deep fried are rich sources of fibre.

. A sweet ending

. No cuisine is complete without sweets. Churmundo , soft wheat flour ladoos made with ghee and the wholeness of nuts are excellent sources of energy. Patholi , rice dumplings with coconut-jaggery filling, are steamed in fresh turmeric leaves. These contain great antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties and aid in healing wounds and injuries. Surnali , spongy and sweet dosas made with rice, jaggery, coconut and topped with ghee or butter makes great breakfast food.

. Temple feasts have been a tradition in GSB temples for ages. Individuals are served noche (pickle), chane ghashi (chickpeas, yam and yellow coconut gravy), kuvale sasam (ash gourd curry), sheeth (rice), saru (rasam), dalithoy (dal) and godshe (kheer) on banana leaves.

. The comfort, wholesomeness and flavour of GSB cuisine is surely something to try out once in your lifetime. So if you happen to visit Udupi, Mangaluru or any other area with a large GSB population, do try out these delicacies.

Appetites with a local flavour

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