The Goan Pão: A cultural identity

Abstract

Introduced by the priests during the Portuguese rule in Goa, bread had taken on a uniquely Goan feature with the use of toddy as the leavening agent and the wood-fired mud oven. It is this unique addition and the variety of bread that makes it a part of culinary heritage, a mix of tangibles and intangible indigenous knowledge that affirms its place in the cultural map of bread in India. Over the years, due to a range of socioeconomic factors, traditional bakers have had to modify their way of bread-making. We are at a tipping point in history where the occupation is at a risk. The purpose of this study is to trace and document the pão, with its techniques and tools, as in its past and present, to provide a link for its future and to understand the associated social identity.