Chutney Cod – also known as chetnim de bacalhau – with a bittersweet or spicy flavour (or both) is a typical Indian and Portuguese dish from the region of Goa but it is also found in Daman, Diu, Macao, and even in Portugal.
The Kingdom of Portugal conquered Goa in 1510 allowing for the Portuguese to get their hands on Asian businesses and creating the conditions for the State of India to become the greatest naval power of the Asian seas in the 16th century. This could not have happened without mixed marriages settling Portuguese men in Goa and generating a bilingual population that fit into the local culture while remaining faithful to the Portuguese Crown, who were defined by Christian practices while also assimilating many Hindu traditions. This mixture of environments certainly brought chutney and codfish together. This condiment and fish linked together would become a main course.
The codfish ought to be well-soaked the day before so that it may be cooked on the following day with a pinch of salt and sliced; bake the codfish for ten minutes so that it will be dry. Heat another pot of olive oil or pork lard and chopped onion until it turns brown; in the meantime, add one chilli pepper and a teaspoon of saffron. Afterwards, add the codfish and leave it to sauté. Pour two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, three tablespoons of water, temper with pepper (and salt if necessary), and add 200ml (0.4pt) of coconut milk. Once it has simmered, serve hot with white rice or griddle bread.
Costa, J.P.O. (coord.) (2014) História da Expansão e do Império Português. A Esfera dos Livros.
VVAA (2016). As melhores receitas de Bacalhau – Ideias para + de 100 refeições. Impala
Guedes, F. (2001). As 100 maneiras de cozinhar Bacalhau e outros peixes. Publicações Dom Quixote
Sobral, J. M.; Rodrigues, P. (2013) O “fiel amigo”: o bacalhau e a identidade portuguesa. Etnográfica 17 (3), p.619-649.