KOCHI: The entrance of Cassava, Kochi Marriott’s famed restaurant, is decorated in shades of red, blue, purple and green. The arch at the entrance reads ‘welcome to Goa’. Walking in, one can see the entire restaurant embellished with starfishes and swim rings. The ongoing food festival, Goan Fork Tales @ Cochin, is a celebration of coastal flavours all the way from Goa. Chef Seema Selva, who is in town for the festival calls the cuisine her ‘home food’. She is in the kitchen, busy cooking up a storm.
The waiters are all dressed in floral gowns, shirts and hats, and the tables have lit candles inside fishbowls. The mood is much similar to Goa’s beaches, and to complete it, Cassava is also offering a beer package on its menu.
From Caldo-Varde, a Portuguese vegetarian soup variety common in Goa, stuffed squid and rawa-fried prawns, to Vindaloo and desserts, the menu is bound to pleasantly bombard you with the flavour palate of Goa. “If you think of it, Kochi and Goa are both coastal areas and their palates are very similar. The use of coconuts, chillies and tamarind is quite common in both places,” says Chef Seema, who has been specialising in Goan cuisine since 2016. “It is really home food for me. The more I started cooking it, the more I fell in love with it. I am happy to share it with the guests in Kochi,” she says.
Among the appetizers, the Rawa-Fried Prawns are a must-have. Crispy seafood covered in rawa (granulated wheat) is peculiar to Goa’s beach-side shacks. It is served with chopped vegetables and a tangy chutney that complements the crispy-juicy texture of the dish.
The highlight of the main course is a combination of Goan Pulav (a semi-flavored pulav prepared using basmati rice) and Crab Xec Xec. As fancy as it sounds, the crab dish is a thick curry made from spices and coconut paste.
For meat lovers, the chicken vindaloo is a must-have. Though the sumptuous Goan curry is rather easy to find in Kerala, chef Seema’s preparation has put a spicy spin of authenticity on it.The dessert section has Goan Von, a dish you must order if you are a fan of the traditional Ila ada prepared in Malayali homes.
Goan Von is a rolled crepe filled with coconut and jaggery and is a light dessert to wind up the beach-style adventure. If you are not a fan of beer, there is also a variety of mojitos, lemonades and other drinks available on demand.
At Kochi Marriott Hotel, Edappally, Till May 21, From 7pm to 11pm, For details, contact: 8589989043