This is my recreation of the classic Goan Catholic dish that is particularly popular in the southern part of the state. To the uninitiated, the dish can be confounding. One might wonder how the quintessentially French roulade made its way into a cuisine known for its Portuguese influence. This is because the Portuguese high society was once impressed and influenced by the French ways. The cuisine picked up certain French influences, too. The roulade, prepared only for exclusive parties, was one such dish.

  • Serves

    4

  • Cook Time

    01 h 30 m

Ingredients

For Masala Paste

  • 12 cloves
  • 8 garlic cloves
  • 6 dry Kashmiri chillies
  • 2 red Byadgi chillies
  • 2-inch cinnamon stick
  • 1-inch piece of ginger
  • 1 tbsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • Salt to taste
  • Toddy vinegar (as required to grind the paste)

For The Roll

  • 1 l pork stock
  • ½ kg tenderloin (sliced thin and cut into 25 pieces of 2 inch X 3 inch)
  • 300 gm Goan chourico
  • 50 gm pork fat strips

Other Ingredients

  • 7 whole shallots
  • 6 medium-sized cherry tomatoes
  • 3 potatoes, cut into strips
  • 3 carrots, cut into strips
  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup beef stock

Preparation

  1. Grind all ingredients listed under the masala paste header into a fine paste, using toddy vinegar.
  2. Flatten out and tenderise the beef pieces with a meat tenderiser.
  3. In a pan, sweat the chourico in its own fat. Add pork stock and cook for 45 minutes or until chourico is tender and the stock is beautifully reduced.
  4. Lay out the beef slices and spread spoonful of cooked ragout on each slice.
  5. Roll them up tightly. Wrap a strip of pork fat around each roll and secure it with a toothpick or with butcher’s thread.
  6. Heat oil in a pan. Toss in the shallots and fry until soft and translucent.
  7. Add cherry tomatoes and cook for about 5-7 mins until nice and soft.
  8. Slip the cut carrots and potatoes into the pan. Give all a quick mix.
  9. Pour in the beef stock and cover the pan. Let it simmer for a few minutes.
  10. Stir in the masala paste and continue cooking for about 40 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through. This is the sauce.
  11. Place the beef rolls on a grill and cook to the desired degree of doneness. I prefer medium.
  12. Serve the beef roulade (remove the sticks or thread first) with the sauce on the top.

Written by

Gracian de Souza

Over the past 18 years, Chef Gracian de Souza has worked in several prominent kitchens around the world. He was the Executive Chef at the Swedish design hotel Svenska, before opening, and ran its F&B segment, which included restaurants Mesa and Miro as well as their banquets and in-room dinning. He later headed Impresario’s standalone restaurant The Tasting Room. Gracian also opened the Goan-Portuguese restaurant Porto & Poie in Juhu, Mumbai, that served traditional dishes cooked with modern finesse. He currently works as a culinary consultant.

See more by Gracian de Souza