What does the small Indian state of Goa have in common with Greece? It’s yet another ‘G’. The Grana family.
In India’s western coast lies the little state of Goa. Well known for its brilliant beaches, scrumptious food and rich Portuguese heritage, Goa is a popular holiday destination for people from Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore.
Hold on.
‘Lift a rock and you will find a Greek’, goes the popular Greek saying. In this case the Greeks are two. Mariketty and her son, Spiro Grana, the owners of Thalassa Greek Taverna.
The story behind Goa’s Greek restaurant
‘Thalassa’ is the name Mariketty Grana, gave to the restaurant she created, in the little Indian state of Goa, about 6,000 kms away from Corfu, her hometown in Greece.
“I love Corfu but I needed to travel. When I landed in this little state, about thirty years ago, I fell in love with the beautiful beaches and the local people, who where happy and hospitable, exactly like island people in Greece,” Mariketty told Neos Kosmos.
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However, things have not always been easy. For the first couple of years Mariketty would return to Greece every six months to make some money as she didn’t have a steady income in Goa. But she didn’t give up. Coming from a family of restaurateurs, she put the knowledge she had acquired from her parents to good use.
“There was a flea market in the area where hippies used to sell pizzas and I thought ‘that’s it. I’m going to start selling pita yiros,’” she said.
“I was over the moon when I sold my first three souvlakis. I realised Indian people like my food and that was the best starting point”
A Greek woman entrepreneur breaking stereotypes
We asked Mariketty if she has ever looked back and she replied with a definitive ‘no’.
“I was always going for it. I was never afraid to fail,” she said.
It took her sixteen years of hard work to have ‘Thalassa’ up and running the way it is today.
“It wasn’t easy for a white, foreign woman like myself to do business in a small town like Goa. I would go to a meeting with local officials and they would ignore my presence and never look me in the eyes,” Mariketty said.
Today, she is a well-respected figure in Goa and we asked her how she achieved this.
“I work hard like all Greek people do. I am not a boss for my employees but rather a co-worker. I live and socialise with the locals.”
Plans for the future
Thalassa would not be what it is today without Spiros’ input. Apart from following in his mother’s steps, he is the one who dances Zorba and zeibekiko every night to entertain the customers and spread more Greek vibes across the restaurant.
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‘Thalassa’ has received multiple awards for its quality of food and great atmosphere and lately it was recognised as the favourite Mediterranean Restaurant in India at the PeakLife Gourmet Awards.
“What makes Thalassa different is the good quality products and the fact that we make sure all our customers are treated like VIPs. We always try to introduce Greek products like Skinos Mastiha Liqueur and Ouzo Plomari and we will continue to do so,” Mariketty and Spiro said.’
A Recipe to Try
Mariketty’s Bourdeto – Spicy Baked Fish With Tomatoes and Onions
Ingredients
• 4-6 pcs of boneless fish fillets (cod or any white fish)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 large lemon halved plus more for serving
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 450grams onions, cut in half lengthwise and then sliced thinly
• 1 leek sliced in half lengthwise and then sliced thinly
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 500 g Finely Chopped Tomatoes
• A pinch of sugar (optional)
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• ¼ tsp chili powder (more if you want a little more heat)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp tomato paste dissolved in 3 tbsp of water
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped (about ½ cup) plus more for garnish
• 1 tsp of capers for serving (optional)
Directions
– Pat the fish dry and season to taste with salt and pepper
– Lay the fish in a dish or resealable bag and squeeze the juice of one half of the lemon over it. Refrigerate for 20 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
– Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the onions and leeks. Cook, until they have softened and are starting to get golden
– Add a generous pinch of salt and the garlic, paprika, chili powder, oregano and the bay leaf and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant
– Pour in the wine and the tomato paste and cook until wine has reduced
– Stir in the finely chopped tomatoes, sugar if using, and half the parsley and more salt and pepper to taste and bring to a simmer. Simmer uncovered, stirring often, until the sauce has cooked down a bit and is very fragrant, about 10 minutes. In the meantime preheat the oven to 180 C
– Remove pan from heat and submerging the fish into the sauce while basting sauce over the pieces.
– Place skillet in the oven and bake until the fish is opaque and pulls apart easily with a fork, approx. 25-30 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets
– Remove from the oven once done and serve with lemon wedges and capers and with rice, or whatever side you prefer.