Tag: Traditional Recipes

Spotlight

Chef Valerian: Serving Goa on a Plate – A Culinary Tale from Siolim to the World

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo

From the lush, sunlit hills of Siolim, Goa, to the bustling kitchens of international cruise lines and five-star hotels, Chef Valerian, fondly known as Vali, has crafted an 18-year culinary journey rooted in tradition and driven by innovation.

🌿 A Passion Born in a Goan Kitchen

Vali’s journey began in his childhood kitchen, where his mother and grandmother stirred up magic during family feasts and village celebrations. It wasn’t just the aromas or the spices—it was the love behind every dish that left a mark. Watching them cook kindled a fascination in young Valerian. While other kids played outside, he was inside experimenting with flavors, unknowingly laying the foundation for his culinary path.

🎓 The Culinary Climb

His professional journey started at Alcon Culinary School (then Victor Exotica, now Radisson Candolim), where he mastered the fundamentals. He worked as a commis chef, participated in hotel pre-openings, collaborated with celebrity chef Shailendra Kekde, and even managed seven cloud kitchen outlets during the COVID era, showcasing multiple cuisines from a single source.

Later, his culinary curiosity led him to the Royal Caribbean Cruises, where he further honed his skills in global and indigenous cuisines. From traditional Goan food to modern fusion, every experience added a new dimension to his cooking.

🍛 The Flavors of Goa – His Signature

Chef Valerian proudly champions Goan cuisine, presenting it with a twist while respecting its roots.

Must-try dishes include:

  • Goan Fish Curry – A coastal staple made with coconut, raw mango, and region-specific chilies.
  • Mackerel Uddamethi – A bold Hindu Goan curry with roasted methi, coconut, and local spices.
  • Chicken Xacuti – A spiced delight with poppy seeds and Kashmiri chilies.
  • Crab Xec Xec – A rich, aromatic dish of crab and roasted spice paste.
  • Pork Vindaloo – A Portuguese-influenced tangy pork dish, with variations across Goa.

Each dish speaks of Goa’s diverse cultural heritage—Hindu, Christian, Portuguese, and coastal influences blended into a single cuisine.

🔥 Innovation on the Plate

Vali doesn’t just recreate—he reimagines Goan cuisine. By using modern techniques like sous vide, smoking, and even molecular gastronomy, he elevates local dishes to fine-dining experiences. He’s blended Goan ingredients with Korean chili flakes, Japanese miso, and Mediterranean herbs to craft inventive fusion plates.

But no matter how far he goes creatively, he always ensures that heritage remains at the heart.

💡 Learning from the Kitchen

One memorable lesson came when experimenting with Balchão. A sweeter tomato purée accidentally altered the dish. But instead of tossing it, Vali added vinegar and spices—resulting in a pleasantly surprising twist that customers ended up loving. For him, mistakes are just hidden opportunities in the kitchen.

👨‍🍳 Inspirations Behind the Apron

Vali credits his mother and grandmother as his first culinary inspirations. He also follows Goan chef Avinash Martins, and looks up to Sanjeev Kapoor, Vikas Khanna, Ranveer Brar, and global icons like Gordon Ramsay and Marco Pierre White. Food bloggers and Goan writers also shape his evolving palate.

📲 Social Media & Community

Chef Valerian uses platforms like Instagram and YouTube to:

  • Share Goan recipes and kitchen stories
  • Engage with a growing foodie community
  • Collaborate with chefs, bloggers, and influencers
  • Post behind-the-scenes content and food photography

His page is a visual feast that celebrates food, tradition, and creativity.

🚀 What’s Cooking Next?

Vali has big plans:

  1. Launching a dedicated Goan food blog
  2. Exploring fusion collaborations with chefs from different cuisines
  3. Expanding his social media presence to connect with global food lovers

🗣️ Words to Young Chefs

For aspiring chefs, Vali’s advice is clear:

  • Experiment fearlessly
  • Respect tradition
  • Taste, adjust, repeat
  • Stay curious
  • And above all, have fun in the kitchen

🌶️ Kitchen Essentials

Vali’s Goan kitchen is never without:

  • Coconut – The soul of coastal cooking
  • Spices – To build flavor depth
  • Fresh chilies – For that bold punch
  • Fresh coriander – His go-to herb

From village feasts to global kitchens, Chef Valerian continues to share his love for Goa through every plated story. His mission is simple: “Let’s get cooking and savor the flavors of Goa together!”

Allycaral Kitchen

Authentic Goan Fenori Recipe: A Delightful Sweet Treat from Goa

Tanisha Cardozo

Recipe by Sonika Ramesh Lotlikar

Fenori is a traditional sweet snack beloved in Goan households, celebrated for its delicate layers, crisp texture, and fragrant aroma of cardamom. This recipe combines simple ingredients such as maida (refined flour), homemade ghee, sugar, and elaichi (cardamom) to create a treat that’s both rich in flavor and heritage.

📝 Ingredients

For the Dough:

  • 2 cups maida (all-purpose flour)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp homemade ghee
  • Water (as needed to make a soft dough)

For the Cornflour Paste:

  • ½ cup cornflour
  • 4–5 tbsp ghee (melted)

For the Sugar Mixture:

  • ¾ cup sugar (granulated)
  • ½ tsp elaichi (cardamom powder)

🥣 Instructions

  1. Prepare the Dough:
    In a bowl, combine maida, salt, and ghee. Mix well using your fingers until the mixture becomes crumbly. Gradually add water and knead into a soft, pliable dough. Cover and let it rest for 1 hour.
  2. Prepare the Cornflour Paste:
    Mix cornflour with ghee to form a smooth, spreadable paste. Set aside.
  3. Prepare the Sugar Mix:
    Mix granulated sugar with elaichi powder. Cover and keep aside.
  4. Roll and Layer the Dough:
    After an hour, knead the rested dough and divide it into 6 equal portions. Roll each portion into thin, round sheets (the thinner, the better).
  5. Layer with Paste:
    Take one rolled sheet, apply a thin layer of the cornflour paste, and place the next sheet on top. Repeat this process for all 6 sheets, stacking them one by one with the paste in between.
  6. Roll & Cut:
    Once stacked, roll the layered dough tightly into a cylindrical log. Slice the log into equal-sized discs.
  7. Shape the Fenori:
    Take each disc, cut-side up, and roll it gently into a small round (mini chapati), making sure the swirl pattern is visible.
  8. Fry:
    Deep-fry each rolled Fenori in hot oil on medium flame until golden and crisp. Do not overcrowd the pan.
  9. Add Sugar:
    While still hot, sprinkle the sugar-cardamom mixture on top so it sticks to the surface and melts slightly.
  10. Serve:
    Let them cool down slightly before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Whether served during Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, or simply on a cozy evening with tea, Fenori is more than just a snack — it’s a bite of Goa’s culinary tradition, passed down through generations. The sugar and cardamom mixture sprinkled on top adds a delightful fragrance and subtle sweetness that elevates the entire dish.

Today, making Fenori at home is not just a way to enjoy a tasty treat, but also to connect with heritage, honor age-old recipes, and share something joyful with family and friends.

Allycaral Kitchen

Bengali Dish: Jolbhora Sandesh — The Sweet That Hides a Surprise

Tanisha Cardozo

Recipe by Sonali Roy

✨ What is Jolbhora Sandesh?
 Literally translating to “water-filled sweet,” Jolbhora Sandesh is one of Bengal’s most iconic and delicately crafted desserts. It’s made from chhena (curdled milk), molded into flower or dome shapes, and subtly hides a drop of notun gur (liquid date palm jaggery) or sugar syrup at its core.

The magic of Jolbhora lies in the surprise—the moment you bite in and find a burst of sweetness inside an otherwise dry-looking sweet.

🕰️ History of Jolbhora Sandesh
 This delicate sweet hails from Chandannagar, a charming riverside town near Kolkata, once a French colony. Jolbhora Sandesh emerged during the early 19th century, an era known for Bengal’s cultural renaissance.

The Bhunia Mistanna Bhandar, a legendary sweet shop in Chandannagar, is often credited with creating the original Jolbhora. Originally introduced as a wedding gift sweet, it was designed to delight and surprise with its hidden liquid core.

In colonial Bengal, even sweets became an arena for artistic rivalry. Jolbhora required incredible skill—the chhena had to be kneaded and shaped with precision, then filled without breaking structure. The final product had to hold its shape while containing a drop of liquid within—a feat of technique and timing.

🍽️ Jolbhora Sandesh Recipe

Ingredients:

  • Full-fat milk – 1.5 liters
  • Lemon juice – 2 tbsp (to curdle)
  • Powdered sugar – 3 tbsp
  • Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
  • Notun gur (or sugar syrup) – for filling
  • Rose water (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Boil milk and curdle it with lemon juice. Strain the chhena in a muslin cloth, rinse under cold water, and hang to drain.
  2. Once crumbly, knead it with sugar and cardamom until soft and smooth.
  3. Cook lightly on low heat to make it slightly thick but pliable.
  4. Shape into small rounds, press a dent, add a drop of notun gur, and seal with more chhena.
  5. Chill for a few hours. Garnish with silver foil or rose petals.

🌍 Cultural Highlights of Chandannagar
 Located on the banks of the Hooghly River, Chandannagar is unlike any other town in Bengal. Its blend of French colonial architecture, riverside promenades, and serene atmosphere gives it a distinct European flavor.

Its food culture, like its history, is a fusion—Jolbhora Sandesh is a perfect representation of that harmony between Bengali soul and French finesse.

🌸 The Essence of Jolbhora
 Jolbhora Sandesh isn’t just a sweet—it’s a symbol of artistic innovation, culinary heritage, and emotional nostalgia. What began as a surprise dessert in a small riverside town has now become a treasured element of Bengal’s identity.

Whether you’re tasting it for the first time or rediscovering an old favorite, Jolbhora is a gentle reminder that the best things in life are often hidden inside.