Goan cuisine takes centre stage on IFFI promenade
Self help groups make brisk business
THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
While delegates enjoy the film scenes at the theatres as part of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa’s local self help groups are also getting their space to present Goa’s rich cuisine.
Spread across the Campal promenade, organizer, Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) has set up temporary stalls that allow food vendors to sell food for delegates as well as those that visit the area.
From gobi Manchurian to pani puri and ice golas, also selling food among them are Goa’s very own women self help groups with chicken xacuti, rechad bangdo and pathodeos. In addition to being given stalls, the vendors including the Goan women have had to undergo training as part of the FSSAI training and certification.
The Rashtroli Jageshwar self help group from Margao serves breakfast, lunch and dinner at their stall with dishes ranging from Poha to Aloo Parathas and Dal. “We start the stall at 7 am and usually finish by 12 am,” said group chairperson Siddhi Kortankar.
Panaji’s own Mahila Committee of Goa chairperson Seema Pednekar can be seen with her hair net and face mask while serving food to tourists and locals visiting the stalls. “We’ve been made to stick to strict rules of cleanliness and maintenance and were given licenses for the nine days only after attending the one-day training given by FSSAI,” she said adding that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Goa unit conduct inspections on a daily basis.
Demonetisation hasn’t affected them much as many, up until Thursday, accepted the old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes. Following the last day limit of accepting notes ending on Thursday, groups have said they would not be accepting the notes any more.
But while many have praises for the festival, two year experienced stalls like the Satpurush self help group have expressed concern over being moved from the main IFFI area.
“For the last two years, we have been serving our home cooked food to delegates inside the IFFI main venue, near INOX. But this year, we were moved far away from the main area and are therefore getting lesser customers,” said one member of the group.
Despite insistence on being given a spot in the main venue, group members complain that first preference was given to sponsors that were not even serving Goan food. All in all, however, not everyone was complaining and instead said they were looking forward to presenting the Goan cuisine to more outsiders than worry about anything else.
