Preserving Culture Through Konkan Catholic Cuisine

The Konkan Catholics are a group of people that live along the Konkan coast of India. They were converted to Catholicism in Goa by the Portuguese. Since then they have migrated along the Konkan coast with the majority living in Goa and Mangaluru. Due to their background, Konkan Catholics have a distinct culture that combines Indian traditions with Portuguese Catholic practices. This unique culture is most observed through their cuisine with dishes containing a mixture of Indian and Portuguese ingredients and techniques that represent the complex history of the Konkan Catholics. It is through the meals they share with each other that Konkan Catholics preserve their culture and keep their communities active.

The Portuguese established their presence in India in 1505 (Britannica, 2018). While they had control over a few small regions along the west coast, the city of Goa accounted for the majority of their land and population (Britannica, 2018). Prior to its colonization, Goa was part of the Bijapur Sultanates and was under the rule of the Ismail Adil Shah (Grant, 2022). In 1510 the city was captured by Afonso de Albuquerque and eventually became the capital of the eastern Portuguese empire (Grant, 2022; Malvankar, 2015).  Referred to as Goa Durada, or Golden Goa, the city was well known for its extravagance (Britannica, 2018). As the capital of Portugal’s eastern empire, Goa was home to many imported goods including fine porcelain, pearls, silk and textiles making it a very wealthy city (Britannica, 2018; Malvankar, 2015).

As the city grew Portuguese settlers began to grow less tolerant of the local religion, Hinduism. The cultural differences made it hard for the Portuguese to gain support from local communities and grow their empire (Robinson, 1993). The Portuguese first started converting the Goans by offering privileges to those who converted and placing orphaned children in Christian households (Robinson, 1993). They also converted women by encouraging interracial marriages between Portuguese men and Indian women (Robinson, 1993). However, this peaceful approach did not work as well as the Portuguese hoped and rates of conversion were very low (Robinson, 1993).

The second wave of conversion began in the 1540s and was much more aggressive (Robinson, 1993). Laws were made that banned Hindu practices and restricted their rights (Robinson, 1993). These laws prevented Hindus from holding positions of power and called for the punishment of Hindus that prevented others from converting (Robinson, 1993). Inheritance laws were changed so that women who converted to Christianity could inherit, a practice that was not allowed in the patrilineal Hindu society (Robinson, 1993). In addition to passing restrictive legislation, the Portuguese destroyed Hindu temples and items of worship (Robinson, 1993). They also manipulated Hindu traditions by forcing individuals to partake in activities that were controversial in Hinduism, such as the consumption of beef, so that they would be shunned by the community and have no choice but to convert (Robinson, 1993). The strong familial ties within the Hindu community often led to other members of a convert’s family converting as well (Robinson, 1993).  

In the centuries following their conversion by the Portuguese, Konkan Catholics experienced a lot of discrimination from other religious groups in the area. One of the most notable events was the Captivity of Mangalorean Catholics at Srirangapatna. The Mangalorean Catholics are a group of Konkan Catholics that migrated south from goa in the 1500s to a city named Mangaluru. At the time Mangaluru was under the rule of the Portuguese and operated as a port city for their empire (“Kingdom of Mysore”, 2016). The city was eventually taken over by the Mysore Kingdom (“Kingdom of Mysore”, 2016). During the late 1700s the Kingdom began to fight British invasion in the Mysore Wars (Britannica, 2022). The leader at the time, Tippu Sultan, developed a suspicion of the Mangalorean Catholics due to their religious background and ordered that they be put in prison. He confiscated their land and assets, and forced them to walk over 100 miles from Mangaluru to Srirangapatna (Silva, 1957). There they were kept in prison camps, tortured and raped (Scurry, 1824). It is estimated that about two thirds of the captives were killed in total leaving the Mangalorean Catholic population close to extinction (Scurry, 1824). It wasn’t until the death of Tippu Sultan during the siege of Srirangapatna that the Mangalorean Catholics were freed (Scurry, 1824).

While this was an extreme situation, it wasn’t uncommon for Konkan Catholics to experience discrimination from other religions. The fact that they consumed both pork and beef caused tension within the Muslim and Hindu communities. In addition, misconceptions about religion resulted in distrust between religious communities and violence (Human Rights Watch, 2021). Today religious discrimination in India continues to be a problem with violence against religious minorities increasing as Hindu nationalist groups gain power (Human Rights Watch, 2021).

The lasting effects of Portuguese colonization are very evident along the Konkan Coast. Konkani, the language spoken by those from the Konkan coast, has evolved and been heavily influenced by Portuguese with some words being direct derivatives from Portuguese (Gratias, 1997). In fact, pure Konkani is currently considered a dead language due to the significant differences between the original language and modern Konkani (Gratias, 1997). Portuguese influence is also seen in the art and architecture of the area (Gratias, 1997). The buildings and art found on the Konkan Coast utilize both Portuguese and Indian styles that have been passed down for generations (Gratias, 1997). The unique designs of the art and architecture along the Konkan coast sets it apart from other regions in India (Gratias, 1997). 

While Portuguese influence is seen in almost all communities along the Konkan Coast, it is most present in the Konkan Catholics (Gratias, 1997). As a result of their conversion to Catholicism, Konkan Catholics had more exposure to Portuguese culture through institutions like the church (Gratias, 1997). For example, Catholic converts were taught western music in the form of hymns and psalms (Gratias, 1997). In order to recreate this music many converts were taught to play western instruments such as the violin or the piano (Gratias, 1997). This eventually influenced music trends outside of the church with popular music changing to incorporate Portuguese sounds (Gratias, 1997). 

Other than conversion, the biggest impact Portugal had on the Konkan Catholics was the changes to the cuisine (Gratias, 1997). The new religion enabled Catholics to try different foods and adopt Portuguese tastes and recipes (Gratias, 1997). While Portugal did have some influence in Indian cuisine as a whole, the influence it had on that of the Konkan Catholics was far greater in comparison (Gratias, 1997). 

Indian cuisine prior to the Portuguese invasion was largely shaped by that of the Moghuls, the ruling group in most of India at the time (Antani & Mahapatra, 2022). Moghuls cuisine used a lot of spices that were locally grown in India (Antani & Mahapatra, 2022). These spices included cumin, pepper, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, coriander and saffron and are still used today in many Indian households (Antani & Mahapatra, 2022). The spices were used to flavor curries that contained vegetables and/or meat (Antani & Mahapatra, 2022). 

The consumption of meat was and still is a polarizing topic in India. The Moghuls were Muslim, so they consumed various types of meat, excluding pork (Antani & Mahapatra, 2022). However, for the dominant religion in India, Hinduism, eating meat was a sign of one’s cast (Antani & Mahapatra, 2022). Higher castes were normally vegetarian while lower castes ate many different types of meat (Antani & Mahapatra, 2022). For all Hindus regardless of their caste eating beef was strictly forbidden (Antani & Mahapatra, 2022).

Curries at the time were normally accompanied by rice or different types of flat breads (Antani & Mahapatra, 2022). The Moghuls preferred to eat rice and it gained popularity during their reign (Antani & Mahapatra, 2022). However, flatbreads such as naan and puri that had been introduced to India prior to the Moghuls rule remained a staple in the Indian diet (Antani & Mahapatra, 2022).  

While the Konkan Catholic cuisine contains many elements of traditional Indian cooking, its Portuguese influence gives it a distinct flavor. Curries made by Konkan Catholics often have a sour taste to them created by adding vinegar or wine to the spices, a practice that was introduced by the Portuguese (Government of India, n.d.). The Portuguese are also responsible for the addition of eggs and flour to Konkan Catholic sweets (Gopalakrishnan, 2018). Originally made by nuns, these sweets are typically made during Christmas time and other celebratory periods (Gopalakrishnan, 2018).

The biggest impact Portuguese culture had on the Konkan Catholic community is the introduction of beef and pork (Gratias, 1997). The Portuguese initially used beef as a way to forcefully convert Hindus to Catholicism (Robinson, 1993). Today it is eaten as a normal part of the Konkan Catholic diet. Its cheap cost makes it ideal for casual meals (A. Saldanha, personal communication, December 16, 2022). Pork, on the other hand, is considered a delicacy by the Konkan Catholic community (A. Saldanha, personal communication, December 16, 2022). It is normally eaten on Sundays and special occasions, with each family having their own distinct recipes (A. Saldanha, personal communication, December 16, 2022).

Some examples of traditional Konkan Catholic foods are depicted below. These foods originated in Portugal and have become integral parts of Konkan catholic cuisine and culture.

Since, Konkan Catholic cuisine is not typically found in restaurants or other establishments outside of the community, it is most commonly consumed in the home or at celebratory functions where the culture is being represented. As a result, many individuals view the cuisine as central to their identity as a Konkan Catholics. Like the cuisine, Konkan Catholic traditions are a blend of Portuguese, Christian and Hindu culture.

Through food Konkan Catholics honor the unique experiences of their ancestors and are very particular about the way their food is prepared and represented. Recipes are typically passed down through generations with each family having a slightly different variation of the main recipes. As a cultural minority, strictly adhering to the recipes and traditions of their ancestors is the Konkan Catholic’s way of ensuring that their culture is not lost, especially when they migrate to different regions of the world. In the US there are many Konkan Catholic groups that meet to celebrate their culture and enjoy good food and music. With so much history behind the culture it is important that future generations learn and appreciate everything their ancestors went through.

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