TGLife
Goa Chitra Ethnographic Museum that has been organising various workshops, events and fests to promote a revival in traditional and cultural practices in an attempt to introduce both children and adults to forgotten experiences of Goa, is organising Purumentache fest from May 1-5 at their venue in Benaulim.
Purument or provision is the concept arising out of an annual market that offers kitchen stocks for the monsoon. In the good old times Goans would process and preserve available produce to create a wide assortment of food stuffs that would last them through the heavy monsoons. These food stuffs were sold in Purumentacho bazaar which is today celebrated as Purumenche fest.
Today, with food available in abundance and throughout the year so there is not much need to keep a stock ready in the kitchen for monsoons. However, this abundance of food and its availability throughout the year on the supermarket shelves has killed the traditional recipes. Goa Chitra has stepped in to stop the recipes from dying and disappearing.
“We, at Goa Chitra, aim to revive these forgotten foods of Goa by bringing together three traditional teachers who will teach authentic Goan recipes to participants in the form of interactive, knowledge-sharing master classes,” states Victor Hugo Gomes, curator Goa Chitra Ethnographic Museum which is inviting participants to learn more about their rich food heritage and end their search for the real taste of Goa.
On May 1, in her ‘Reviving traditional Goan preserves’ workshop Fatima Moniz of ‘Kitchen Delights’ will teach traditional recipes of fish parra, fish mole and prawn, pork and bimbli balchao from 10 am to 1 pm.
On May 2 there will be workshop on kitchen gardening and a discourse on traditional making of coconut oil and vinegar where tips and tricks will be taught from 3 to 6 pm. One can learn which crops were planted before the monsoons and what vegetables one can grow in their kitchen today.
On May 3, there will be a master class on reviving traditional Goan jams where renowned cook Yvette Barros will teach the participants to make traditional jams like ‘mangada’ (mango jam), jacada (jackfruit jam) and perada (guava jam) from 10 am to 1 pm.
On May 4 there will be a master class on reviving traditional Goan juices like aam panna (raw mango juice), ambyachi xeropi (mango squash), binda xeropi (kokum squash), orchatta (cashew nut drink) from 10 am to 1 pm.
On May 5, there will be a master class on reviving traditional Goan pickles and papads by Shamal Gawandalkar who will teach ash gourd vodyo, sabudana sandge, bimbli pickle, stuffed mango pickle, lime pickle and chopped mango pickle from 10 am to 4 pm. Lunch will be provided. All material will be provided but one has to bring his/her own knife and chopping board.
