Picture this! It's a sweltering hot day in Goa. The dog has collapsed in the cool, dark shade of a spreading cashew tree. You're sitting on the balcão, thankful for the creaking fan whirling slowly above you. The shimmering ocean punctuates the row of coconut trees swaying lazily in the distance. Nobody is stirring other than the odd crow complaining about the heat. But nothing bothers you because you have a glass of feni in one hand and a plate of goa sausage and potato in the other. Getting ready to enjoy Choris Pão you think to yourself...'This is the life! Total susegad!'
What does Susegad mean?
So for those of you unfamiliar with the term susegad, it is a philosophy and a way of life that the people from Goa are innately blessed with. Derived from the Portuguese word sossegado, meaning 'quiet', it is a relaxed, content attitude that promotes a wonderful level of peace, satisfaction and fulfilment. A natural peace that bubbles up from within as one enjoys the simple pleasures of life while taking things at a slower pace. Perhaps, it can be translated loosely as an amalgam of French joie de vivre (joy of life) and Danish hygge (a feeling of contentment or well being). Or perhaps, it is that special je ne sais quoi that is omnipresent in islanders' lives. Where time is fluid, there is no rush to do anything in a hurry and really, all is well.
Susegad! What a beautiful word! And for those of us to whom it might not come naturally to, it is worth trying to consciously cultivate susegad. How? Perhaps, you need to pick up Clyde D'Souza's new book released earlier this year: "Susegad: The Goan Art of Contentment" for tips to the Goans' integral habits and routines that bring happiness, peace of mind and calm to their lives.
Perhaps, it's taking afternoon siestas more often, stopping to watch the sunset or enjoying prolonged meals with the family at the dining table. Or perhaps, it's kicking back with some good feni and Goa sausage.
For me, making a simple goa sausage with potatoes and onions and then savoring it with my favourite peeps is my way of attaining susegad. Give it a try!
Goa Sausage from Mapusa Market
If there is one thing that is quintessentially Goan, it is Goa Sausage or chorise or chourico made with pieces of pork that are salted and then sun-dried for a couple of days. After which, the pork pieces are mixed with a melange of local spices and local liquor (feni) before being stuffed into sausage casings and once again sun-dried or smoked. The spices and the method of making these sausages, give Goa sausage a particularly distinct, inexplicable flavor that can only be described as 'authentically Goan.'
I love going to the Mapusa market to pick up Goa sausages. Much better than going to a store, a trip to Mapusa market is an experience in itself. Open from 9am-6.30pm (but closed in the afternoon for siesta), Monday through Saturday, it is just bursting with colorful sights and sounds of the local people.
Disclaimer: You will be surrounded by a lot of hustle and bustle, so if you're on a quest for susegad, it is unlikely that you will find it here. You will find a lot of other things, though. From food and clothes to tribal jewelry, handicrafts and knick knacks, this is a must stop for anyone who is interested in a cultural immersion. Don't forget to bargain and haggle. It's all part of the experience.
Amidst locals selling Goan pickles and dried fish, you will find the local women displaying their strings of bead-like sausages that look like long chains of jewelry laid out in coils.
To buy Chourico Goa sausages online in India
To buy goan pork sausages online in India, try
To buy Goan sausages online in the U.S. and Canada
There are a number of places and that sell Goan pork sausages online. Most of the places I've bought from, the sausages are much larger than the traditional little sausages above. I just need to cut the large sausages into pieces before I use them. But, other than that, the Goan pork sausages sold in the U.S. and Canada are very original in taste and flavor.
To buy Goan sausages online:
To buy Goan sausages online in the U.K
My Goa Sausage Recipe
I think the hardest part about making goa sausage is obtaining the sausages. After that, cooking them couldn't be simpler.
My Goa sausage recipe, (while inspired by a Goan Choricos recipe from Ivo Almeida Coutinho's cookbook, 'A Day in a Goan Kitchen') is actually my mother-in-law's true and tried recipe. Very easy to make and so delicious.
RECIPE : Goa Sausage with Onions and Potatoes
Ingredients:
☐ 240g Goa Sausage
☐ 2 large red onions, chopped
☐ 1 handful of shallots/ sambhar onions, halved
☐ 3 green chilies, chopped
☐ 1 large clove of garlic, chopped
☐ 1 large potato, chopped (approximately 1 cup)
☐ 1/4 cup water
☐ Salt and vinegar to taste
☐ Oil
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. If the goa sausages are large, chop the sausages into bits.
2. In a vessel, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add chopped onions and fry lightly till softened. Add green chilies, garlic and goa sausage. Mix on medium heat until the sausages start releasing their fats. Add 1/4 cup of water and shallots. Bring it to a bubble. Then cover vessel, lower flame and cook for 10-15 minutes.
3. Add the chopped potatoes, 2 tablespoons of vinegar and cover and cook until the potatoes are done. Add salt and more vinegar to taste, as needed.
Enjoy with rice, bread or pav. Sweet Hawaiian buns are a good substitute for pav. For complete susegad, don't forget a glass of feni on the side and a nap afterwards.
Bom proveito!💗
Click on the "Anglo Indian" label below to view other unique Indian dishes.
Or browse through "My Cookbook Index" for all my recipes.
