Goan Samarachi Koddi with Boiled Rice

-Brian Mendonça

Of the many dishes Goan cuisine can boast of, samarachi koddi  (curry of dried and fresh prawns) deserves special mention. Made with stored dried prawns during the monsoon, it is traditionally served at the bikhareche jevonn [Beggar’s meal] which is held to obtain the blessings of the beggars for the soon-to-be married couple. The name is believed to have come from samardem – a circular vessel of eight small bowls to store each of the spices used in Goan cooking. This was given by the parents to the new bride to take to her new home.*

When my sister forwarded us a link asking Queenie to participate in the All Goa Home-Chefs Cooking Contest, samarachi koddi seemed the obvious choice. This was for the 7^th Annual Goa Food and Hospitality Exhibition 2019 held last week at the Shyama Prasad Stadium. Bambolim.

 ‘Should we make the rice as well?’ Queenie asked. I said, ‘Yes.’ I thought, samarachi koddi  would go well with Goan boiled rice. We made a special trip to Mapusa market – despite the Friday bazaar – to obtain a kundleo to keep the rice. The samarache koddi masala came from Rosy Santana who sits with her provisions at Mapusa market.

We brought home the precious kundleo in pouring rain. Queenie said, ‘If it rains like this, the samarachi koddi will taste better.’ We recalled how dad used to relish Queenie’s samarachi koddi. ‘I think he is blessing us with this rain,’ Queenie thought aloud.

To serve the samarachi koddi, we inaugurated the clay pot we bought in Kochi. For a long time it had languished in the cupboard.

Everyone agreed that Queenie’s samarachi koddi hit the spot. It had that traditional taste, and the flavour of being cooked on a wood fire. The judges asked Queenie many questions. One of them was, ‘How many ingredients are there in samarachi koddi,’ Queenie had researched the dish on the internet. She replied, ‘Twenty-one.’

After the judges had finished judging, all the contestants went around tasting each other’s dishes. When I was informed about this, my heart sank. Would there be some remaining for us to have for lunch?

Luckily there was, and rice as well. Eating it with bimbli pickle from Bombay, and bhaji of val (string beans) was a pleasure. Try as we might it was not possible to source bimblis, while making the dish.

Queenie did not win a prize but participating was a rewarding experience. 

Queenie’s certificate of participation sits proudly in our showcase at home. I was reminded of my resolve when we moved to Goa almost a decade ago. I had decided that if we don’t get a job I would sell Queenie’s amazing prawn curry and rice in a shack at Bogmalo beach.

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*Valencia Mascarenhas. ‘Samarachi koddi  and its journey to stardom,’ Times of India online. 25^th August 2016. For recipe of Goan Sambharachi Kodi see Food Stop: The Complete Goan Food and Drink Guide, edited by Melanie Sequeira. Panjim: Creative Ideas,1999. Pg.121.

Published in Gomantak Times Weekender. Panjim, Goa on Sunday, 1 September 2019.

Pix of Queenie Mendonca with Dwayne Mendonca at the contestants' pavilion at the 7th annual Goa Food and Hospitality Exhibition, Shyamaprasad Indoor Stadium, Bambolim, Goa on 24th August 2019.