© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Last week, the Goa government formally applied for a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for the Goan sweet called Dodol. The All Goa Baker’s and Confectioners Association filed the application, with the Department of Science, Technology and Waste Management of the Government of Goa as a facilitator.
What is the significance of the dish in the state and how is a GI tag likely to help such items? We explain.
Dodol is a classic Goan sweet that is often called a cousin of Bebinca, the ‘Queen of Goan desserts’. Dark brownish in colour, it is made using rice flour, coconut milk and black palm jaggery, and has a firm, jelly-like texture.
For preparing Dodol, a mixture of rice flour, coconut milk and black palm jaggery is cooked in a copper vessel on a slow fire and stirred continuously with a wooden ladle. Once ready, the mixture is poured into a vessel greased with ghee and flattened with banana leaves. After letting it cool down, it is cut into thin slices.
Franjoe Fernandes, President of the All Goa Baker’s and Confectioners Association, said, “Dodol is unique in Goa because of the ingredients and method of preparation. During the entire cooking process, it must be constantly stirred, otherwise it burns.”
Historically, it was prepared by Christian households during Christmas for ‘consoada’ (confectionaries sent to relatives and neighbours). Over time, apart from festivities, Dodol has become a quintessential part of Goa’s multi-cultural culinary history.
Dodol and its variations are also popular in southern India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and parts of Southeast Asia.
The exact origins of the dish remain disputed. Some scholars claim a traditional version of the sweet was served in the royal banquets in the Medang Kingdom of Indonesia between the 8th and 11th centuries.
Another variation of Dodol likely originated in the early 20th century when Indonesia was under Dutch colonial rule. In Goa, it is believed that the sweet was introduced during Portuguese rule in the coastal state during the 17th century.
According to the GI tag application filed by the Goa government, a common belief among Goan households is that a Catholic woman has to take back Dodol and bananas as “voje” (gift) when she returns to her husband’s house after the birth of her first child. The application states that Dodol is an “essential part of Goan culture”.
The application states, “Goan dodol has a unique sweet flavour of Goan pyramid jaggery and a luscious creamy taste of fresh coconut milk. The rice flour is the binder of this sweet halwa. Aligned with various cultures, both Bebinca and Dodol share Goan-Portuguese history and have travelled to various South Asian countries transforming themselves into different forms.”
“Dodol is [traditionally] prepared in a big cauldron named ‘kail’ which comes as part of the dowry. Another belief is that if one borrows ‘kail’ from someone, it has to be returned along with Dodol as a form of gratitude,” it adds.
How would a GI tag help?
A GI tag is conferred upon products originating from a specific geographical region and signifying unique characteristics and qualities. It serves as a trademark in the international market, protecting the creators from impersonation and helping the customers purchase authentic items.
Deepak Parab, nodal officer, patent facilitation centre at the State Council for Science and Technology, said, “Last year, we got a GI tag for Bebinca. Now, the bakers and traders have to register to get the GI stamp on the packaging to sell the pudding. Similarly, we are hoping that a GI tag for Dodol will help in bringing in standardisation of traditional methods, practices and quality and to ensure its authenticity.”
According to Franjoe Fernandes, the GI tag will help in “safeguarding the cultural identity of the dish and also help in popularising it and possibly facilitate exports in the long run.”
