The stew for family and friends

If there is one descriptive Portuguese-Konkani word that is the absolute antithesis to the nattily dressed Goan gent, it would have to be feijão. Not only is the feijão the lynchpin of a celebrated, rare-to-find, rich and thick pork stew—where it lends amazing heft and depth of flavour—it also gives the feijoada dish its name. So, while cafreal and peri peri chicken were taken from the chilli heat-loving colony of Mozambique, Goa’s vinegar-fronted pork preparations like vindaloo and sorpotel were “exported” far and wide to the other colonies, even beyond. Couve, a finely chopped collard greens sauté, is another common side dish that adds a touch of freshness and bitterness to contrast with the richness of the stew. Many believe the dish is actually a Brazilian adaptation of an heirloom Arab stew called yakhné, made of fava beans.