Joanita Britto MenonIf you like the sound of roti, chapatti, idli, bhatura, fulka, naan, or paratha, then this one is for you. India has been the home of flat bread since time immemorial, where each state had its own version of a rolled out or hand moulded carb, to go with the rich gravies and chutneys that have taken the world by storm. So how did leavened bread, or the good old pao become part of our cuisine? Once the food of foreigners, now a staple in the western Indian coastal culinary fare, the answers are all found in the Life of Pao!
How The Goan Pao Came Into Existence
It all began in the early 1600’s, when the Portuguese Jesuits, brought the concept of baking bread to Goa. After much trial and experimentation, it was the humble village of Majorda, that emerged as the home of leavened bread for not just India, but the greater part of Asia too. The art of baking was considered a valuable skill often sought by young brides of the village, who are credited for taking the recipes and techniques to other parts of Goa. It of course spread as demand for bakers across the state increased, and young men left their village to find their fortune in baking not just in Goa, but in the cities of Mumbai and Kolkata too, where Goan-run bakeries are still running. Even today, most traditional bakeries in Goa, would be able to trace their origins to Majorda. I can attest to this, being the third generation of a baker’s family from the South Goan village.
Reviving Tradition through the Art of Bread Making
Soul Travelling’s Life of Pao trail, takes us to one of the traditional bakeries located a stone’s throw away from the village railway station. Currently led by Ambassador Pankaj, whose relatives are based in the village, this experience is a treat for all your senses. Scheduled around the baking cycle of Godinho Bakery, it is an immersive experience of life in the day of a traditional profession of the Sunshine State.
Mr. Jose Menino Godinho a former health service professional, returned to his ancestral trade of baking post-retirement. Where once bread was baked as part of the daily provision for the village, he today pursues it in small batches to primarily keep the tradition alive. Currently, the wood-fired oven produces just one batch a day, unlike the two batches of yesteryear.
With Mr. Godinho, who is always keen to answer every question with a smile, and if you ask, also shares his recipes, you will learn the science and art of bread making. He is an artist at work, as he rolls out the whole wheat poiee. Not to be mistaken for its more refined cousin, the white flour husk coated poiee which is more easily available in most parts of Goa for its smoother taste. When asked how he estimates the baking time and ideal temperature of the oven, with a toothy smile, he confesses that “I just know”. It truly is a marvel to know how the Portuguese adapted the very foreign process of baking for the environment in Goa. Right from the construction of the ovens to the use of the leavening agent of toddy as opposed to the more commonly used yeast of today. Mr. Godinho is in fact possibly the only bakery in Goa that still uses the maximum amount of toddy to proof the dough, making his bread a truly traditional culinary delight.
Rolling and Shaping Traditional Goan Breads
Visitors on the trail are treated to witnessing two other traditional bread types being baked by Mr. Godinho and are also given the opportunity to try rolling and shaping the bread too. One rarely realizes how time goes by, because of the plethora of information provided behind it and the history of Goa that comes to light through the process.
When the bread are out of the oven, sorted, and set up for sale, it seems like the aroma has beckoned the loyal customers to line up and collect their quota for the day. Unlike other bakeries, Godinho Bakery does not have poders to cycle around the village making deliveries door to door. It gives him a chance to meet his returning clients and get updates on the goings on of the village.
