Farm to fork’ cuisine and ‘sustainably procured’ ingredients are buzzwords in today’s culinary world, often misused (and even abused by some), but chef Avinash Martins has made proactive sustainability a way of life for himself and his restaurant Cavatina, located in South Goa. In 2013, Cavatina, known for perfectly cooked steaks, grills and risottos, opened to rave reviews and garnered a dedicated clientele. But the pandemic brought a life-altering change. This time his attention went deeper; into the provenance of all that came into his kitchen.
He felt the lockdown was the best time to explore his backyard and spent time and effort connecting with farmers and fishermen who followed sustainable practices. “When I saw the labour of love that these guys put in, I realised that we have to celebrate our Goa. It was no longer about me; it became about ‘we’,” the 41-year-old chef shares.
He is committed to taking this reimagined Goan cuisine across the country through various pop-ups. The latest was a three-day affair at The Leela Palace Chennai from August 19 and previously at The Lodhi New Delhi in July. The conscious chef presented a seven-course tasting menu at the pop-ups, each course accompanied by a postcard detailing the origin of the dish.
“The idea behind the postcards is to transport you to a bygone era and share the stories of the various Goan communities,” says Martins. Seasonal produce is now the cornerstone of his cuisine and local ingredients are his biggest inspiration. Global dishes like risottos and bisques are now infused with traditional Goan flavours. Martins believes that once you see the toil that goes into growing fresh vegetables, you’ll appreciate them even more. Martins says it's very different from supermarket vegetables, packed, tagged and wrapped in plastic.
“When I see a 75-year-old guy diving into the sea to get me oysters, it melts my heart. Through my restaurant, I am only bridging the gap between these people and my diners,” says the chef who started his career with The Oberoi Group in 2002. He travelled to different parts of the world to gain experience and train under Michelin-star chefs such as chef Geroges Blanc in Lyon France.
Going beyond Goa, he feels that Indian pickles are the most underrated condiments. “Goa itself has a huge variety, including balchao. Andhra has gongura pickles and Shillong has pork floss pickled with naga chilli,” says Martins. While he hopes that this pickling culture gets due recognition globally, his fridge is a gastronomic repository of different cultures from across the world. Smoked cod from Portugal, dehydrated meats from Shillong and, of course, the local Goan fare like chorizos are always at hand.
Veg Caldin Koyloleo
This dish is an ode to the Dhangar community of the Konkan region, who have been cultivating rice for centuries, long before wheat came to Goa from north India. A spin on the traditional koyloleo, which is a fermented rice pancake, it is generally eaten with curries.
Ingredients
✥ Koyloleo batter ✥ Veg caldin filling ✥ Microgreens for garnish
Koyloleo batter
✥ For the Koyloleo batter, the dal to rice ratio must be 1:4
✥ Urad dal 100g
✥ Black rice 400g
✥ Activated charcoal powder 1 tbsp
✥ Toddy 3/4 cups
✥ Soak the rice and lentils together for five hours. Mix it with toddy in a blender until the batter gets the consistency of dosa batter. Add salt and sugar. Once the mixture is set, add in the charcoal powder and whisk to combine.
Veg Caldin Mixture
✥ Use vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, zucchini, green peas etc.
✥ 1 tsp finely chopped ginger
✥ 2 tsp finely chopped garlic
✥ 1 medium onion finely chopped
✥ 1 bowl of small dices of blanched vegetables
✥ 1 finely chopped green chilli
✥ 1 tsp garam masala
✥ 1 tsp turmeric powder
✥ Salt to taste
✥ Coconut milk 150-200ml
Method
✥ Sauté the onions, garlic, ginger and green chilli in a pan on medium heat.
✥ Once translucent, add veggies and sauté for 2 minutes.
✥ Add turmeric and garam masala and cook for 30 seconds. Add the coconut milk. The consistency of the mixture should be thick enough to coat the veggies.
✥ Season with salt and sugar.
Assembly
✥ To make the koyloleo, heat a non-stick pan on medium flame.
✥ Using a ladle, pour the mixture on the pan and spread the mixture in a circular motion till it reaches your desired thickness.
✥ The koyloleo is cooked once the surface of the pancake is no longer wet. Brush koyloleo surface with butter before removing.
✥ Place the Koyloleo mixture in a taco stand. Add veg caldin. Garnish and serve.