Goan Verdura (Caldine Style)

Another colonial fusion dish that evolved during the Portuguese colonial time in Goa. The name is the give away for this dish, Verdura in Portuguese means vegetables and that is exactly this dish is all about. Its a vegetable dish similar to the Caldine dish prepared with mild spices and coconut. The difference between these two dishes is that, the Cladine is only cooked with Coconut milk with spices infused in it, while the Verdura has the coconut ground to a fine paste with the spices in it. However both curries are mild and not hot.

Prawns are usually added to this dish to provide additional flavour but can be left out all together, although I must say the prawns really lend this dish that flavour punch and you should make every effort to add them. This dish can be cooked with various vegetables, here I have cooked with Cauliflower, peas and carrot. However its also goes well with other vegetables like Kokon Doodhi (Bottle Gourd), Pumpkin or even Bread Fruit, cooked individually and not a combination.

This is a dish that evolved with Portuguese noblemen in Goa. What is interesting is how these dishes spread to the masses in Goa. Most Portuguese households in Goa (Even the Goan elites themselves) depended heavily on local helpers and cook to work in running their homes. Some of these people were excellent in the kitchens and produced not only Goan delicacies but had gained enough knowledge of Portuguese dishes to perfectly cook them to the Portuguese masters delight. 

Goans are known to celebrate in style by throwing a banquet in their own way and needed good cooks to prepare the meals, these experienced cooks eventually prepared these new recipes that they had gained knowledge of, for the birthday parties, baptism parties, weddings or Church feasts of their own family & friends and it caught on with the masses to show off their new found taste within their own circle of friends, eventually these cooks (Mest or Mestin as they were known locally) got hired or invited to cook meals for others and so forth the recipes spread through out Goa and are now favorite among Goans all over and something cherished very much as they have enjoyed these dishes from their childhood.  Its one Veg Dish that is always served during marriage celebration Parties in Goa at the Bikreache Jevonn or Mato as its called in South Goa. Goans cooking vegetables usually call these type of dishes simply as Bhaji however only for this particular dish they call it Verdura or Verdur (Portuguese name for vegetables) indicating its origins with the Portuguese homes of the time. This same story is true for many dishes like caramel pudding, Vindalho, Sera Dura, Bebinca, Caldine, etc. A lot of actual Portuguese dishes without any fusion of flavors are still cooked at homes of the Goans that you may not see at local Restaurants.

Coming back to this Dish Verdura, to make this dish you will need.

Ingredients:

200gms Shrimps Cleaned and deveined

Vegetables of choice (Cut to Size)

For the Masala:

100gms fresh/Frozen grated coconut
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 garlic cloves
1 inch ginger
Small bunch of coriander leaves (Don't want the curry to be too green)
2 green chilies
1 tsp. tamarind Paste
8 peppercorns
6 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick

For the Preparation:

1 tomato Finely chopped
1 onion chopped
1 tsp Salt
Oil
Grind all of the Masala ingredients to a fine paste and keep aside.

In a cooking pan, fry the onion till translucent or nicely brown. add tomatoes and continue to fry. once its nicely fried, add the prawns and cook till the prawns are nicely turned pink and have release its flavours, in about 2 minutes.
At this stage add the vegetables, salt and mix well and then add the ground spice mix, add a cup of water and allow it cook for 10 minutes. Now add 1/2 cup of thick coconut milk (Optional), however adding coco milk gives a smooth finish and richer taste. Let it cook for an additional 5 minutes. When the dish is ready and cooked well, it looks like, as shown below and has a thick gravy of coconut.

Its best had with rice or Pao (Local Bread) or Pita bread will also go well.

Note: Some people prefer to extract only the spice infused coco milk of the spice paste by running the spice mix through a sieve or a muslin cloth like its done in Caldine Curry and add this thick spiced coco milk to the preparation. Either way the cooking method does not change a lot. I like it both ways with the whole coconut spice mix or just the spiced coco milk.