Romaldin made this green chutney for lunch at her house this Wednesday. From the time we got there, she kept saying she smelt something burning. Finally, she remembered that she had put two onions into the burning embers of the stove they built outside. Her mother-in-law is the one who uses that stove the most, either to cook rice or boil water. You are required to squat right to the ground to be able to cook and even in her late 60s, she does it with ease.
The smokey onions were going to be used in the green chutney along with lightly blistered green chillies (that she fried at the same time as the fish), garlic, tamarind, fresh coconut, pepper, cilantro and some salt and sugar. All of these ingredients are ground in a high-speed mixer with the help of some water.
This is her kitchen and it’s the start of my goal to document stories from real kitchens while I’m still in Goa. I guess I am a bit jaded by the Pinterest-style photos that make up the majority of what we see everyday while interacting with each other online. I’m not against it but I want to be able to share this whole other side that goes unnoticed. There are some really amazing homecooks who just don’t care to have a perfect kitchen – just a functional one. I love that.
I have another story for another day but I’ll need to work on getting Romaldin’s secret recipe to bring it all together. Till then, here are some images from that day in her kitchen and brilliant ideas to bring to your own space.
The last photo is by Jane.
PS: If you’re in Goa, she rents out three cute rooms in Anjuna. She and her husband are brilliant cooks (she’s a homecook and he is a professional) and always use the best ingredients in their food.
