Malad woman charms Goa with Mumbai's very own East Indian food

Pilimbi Vaddo in Siolim Goa may have seen many a ldquoBomaicarrdquomdashslang for Goans from Mumbaimdashtraverse its neighbourhood but none like Keziah Correia She is a Malad girl living in Goa who digs the sorpotel vindaloo and balchao like a pucca local But she is not Goan If there is any reason she deserves the title of Bomaicar itrsquos because she has brought a bit of her home city to the coastal state On April 4 Correia a former events manager opened the doors to an East Indian eatery called Fugiyas Cafe amp Bar the firstofitskind in Goa The cafeacute which runs out of a traditional Portuguese home is the perfect address to serve the food of Mumbairsquos indigenous communityEast Indians are native Christians whose ancestors inhabited the Mumbai Thane Vasai Salsette Raigad and Palghar islands The community traces its roots to the 15th and 16th century when Portuguese missionariesmdashjust like they did in Goamdashconverted many locals to Roman Catholicism Their culture traditions and most importantly their food are a delightful mix of Maharashtrian andPortuguese cuisineCorreia 25 says that she always dreamed of having a Balinese cafeacute in Mumbai because she has a special fondness for Indonesia What changed her mind was this one time three years ago when her mother Agnes Ferreira wasnrsquot home ldquoI was craving a traditional East Indian meal so I tried ordering for it on one of the food apps But to my surprise there wasnrsquot a single restaurant deliveringrdquo This was her cue to try family recipes and invite friends over for dinnerCorreiarsquos cafe is named after the East Indian staple fugiyas The little round balloon bread is slightly sweet and can be had with curries as well as dessertThe plan to start an eatery however didnrsquot take shape until the lockdown last year ldquoSuddenly I had a lot of time to think so I started doing research But even then I didnrsquot really have anything concrete in mindrdquo she recalls During a chance visit to Goa in October last year she stumbled upon a Portuguese home in Siolim that was available for rent Thatrsquos when everything came together for her she saysShe decided to name her cafe after the little round balloon bread known as fugiyas an East Indian staple ldquoFugiyas is to East Indians what sushi is to the Japanese It is slightly sweet and can be had with tea coffee curries as well as dessertrdquoThe menu was planned after brainstorming by Correia and her mother who she says is an excellent cook All the dishes on the menu are traditional heritage recipes from the Correia and Ferreira kitchens passed down generationsLetri is one of the heritage sweet dishes of the community which is made with freshly grated coconut and jaggery The dish has also inspired a cocktail drink letri in a glass which can be found on the menuMost interesting is the allday breakfast menu which among other things includes the staple East Indian breakfast of sorpotel with fugiyas There is also a special pork tray Rs 380 comprising pork curry kadak pav egg omelette and pork roast For vegetarians Correia has included the khudi curry Rs 220 an East Indian gravy made with bottle masala which is served with paneer burjee kadak pav and cutlet and fugiyas ldquoI was sure that I didnrsquot want this place to be a restaurant So we created an allday breakfast menu While we have classic East Indian dishes we have also included the regulars like the English breakfast with bacon ham and sausages toasts sandwiches and omelettesrdquoWhat caught our attention on the menu were the mains all creatively named Therersquos Stellarsquos wedding invitation Rs 380 which includes a flavourful pickled fowl curry served with wedding ricemdashan aromatic rice pulao with a generous portion of cashew nuts and raisins cooked in gheemdashand mutton chops Uncle Lewisrsquofresh catch Rs 390 is the traditional lonvas curry served with steamed rice ldquoWe have only one seafood gravy on our menu it lonvas curry is made with four different kinds of fishmdashBombay duck kite fish shark and prawnsmdashall of which are cooked together with drumsticks Itrsquos a special reciperdquo says Correia who will be helping out the team in the kitchenThe keema pav available on the menu is prepared with bottle masala and served with toasted pav or poie a traditional Goan breadCorreirarsquos family has been equally invested in her passion project Her grand aunt Anna Marie Correia who she says is known for her bottle masala all over Mumbai will be preparing it in large quantities just for the cafeacute Agnes on the other hand has been training the staff for the last few weeks sharing littleknown family food secrets The standout offering at the cafeacute is the bar menu which has several East Indian infusions Correia previously worked with a magazine dedicated to spirits cocktails and fine drinking and the experience there helped her curate a rather unusual set of concoctions ldquoWe have all the classic cocktails but exclusively East Indianrdquo She shares how letrimdashone of the heritage sweet dishes of the community which is a lot like idiyappam but more colourful and made with freshly grated coconut and jaggerymdashinspired the drink letri in a glass Other unusual drinks include kokum fenimdashmade with feni kokum syrup and jeera powdermdashand bloody Mary of Bandra which has vodka with tomato juice and black pepper and red chilli powderThough very recently launched her restaurant is already making waves closer home in Mumbai It has been nominated for the East Indian Awards 2021 scheduled for June held by the Mobai Gaothan Panchayat ldquoItrsquos nice to see East Indian cuisine make a debut in Goa While a lot of dishes are similar to both cultures because of our shared Portuguese roots our cuisine is also heavily influenced from the land we belong to And thatrsquos what makes our food very differentrdquoFugiyas Cafe amp Bar House no 4186 Pillimbi Vaddo Sodiem Siolim Siolim Goa 403517Call 9619854551