235. Myndoli Banana

Myndoli Banana (keli) also known as Moira banana or Mandyolichi Kellim ( in Konkani, Goan Local Language) is the local variety of banana grown in the villages of Pernem, Bicholim and Bardez Taluka in North district of Goa. Myndoli banana is an important fruit crop of Goa and is the most popular and tasty banana as compared to other varieties, that is available in Goa. 

It is believed that the name Myndoli banana is named after Moira, a village in the Bardez Taluka of the North Goa District as it is believed as this banana were first existed or introduced in Moira village hence derived the name from the area of origin.

Image credit: ccari.icar.gov.in

The flesh is deep yellow to golden, meaty and firm. The skin turns from green to golden and develop black spots as it ripens. Myndoli banana has better taste and less or no seeds because of which widely used in preparation of shakes in different variant, in Goa as compared to other varieties. 

Myndoli banana has longer shelf life compared to other varieties and over ripe bananas is also had many uses such as shikran or as an ingredients in shira or uttapa. It is high in energy, vitamins and minerals. Many health problems can be avoided by regularly consuming Myndoli banana. It has good nutritional and Medicinal value. 

Myndoli Banana are consumed as after lunch or after dinner dessert, steamed "ukdun", roasted "bhajun", fried "talun" and the most popular Goan "Myndolya Kelyacho Halvo" (ripe banana slices fried in ghee and cooked in sugar syrup). Banana shake with milk and icecream is another delicacy, which every one preferred.

Myndoli Banana is a tall variety under AAB genome group. Myndoli Banana is a huge and tall growing banana plant. Myndoli bananas are long and tusk shaped and easily stands apart from other bananas due to their larger size and shape. They look good, taste great and are wonderful to offer as a gift to relatives/ guests. 

Myndoli banana are long and hard in consistency. Considered a delicacy and more expensive than other varieties owing to its comparative variety. They are in huge demand, so they sell out in no time and fetch high returns.

GI Tag Registration Date         : 14 September 2021

GI Tag Number                         : 680

Certificate Number                  : 394

Geographical Area                  : Goa

Special Cover Release Date   : 17 December 2021

Cancellation                             : Panaji 403 001

Type                                          : GI Tag Cover

Cover Identification Number  : MH/69/2021

Total 1000 Number of covers are issued and each cover is numbered. 

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234. Goan Khaje

Goan Khaje is famous sweet dish of Goa. It is being popular and originated almost centuries ago in Goa. Khaje is Goa’s traditional festive sweet treat at temple Zatra / Jatra and church feast. (Zatra: is the local Konkani language term for the pilgrimage festivals celebrated at Hindu temples in Goa). It is also referred as Kaddio – boddio, due to its thin and long shape.

Goan Khaje is a fried sweet item prepared finger-sized fried chickpeas flour sticks, encrusted with jaggery infused with ginger and a sprinkled of sesame seeds. Goan Khaje is crunchy, tastier and healthy snack. The colour of Goan khaje is orange and red in colour depending upon the jaggery syrup and preparation methodology. 

Image credit: goa.app

Chana dal Flour (besan) is taken in large bowl along with water mixed with salt and baking soda to make dough of the flour. While doughing, it is sticky at first but, as it keeps kneading, the dough becomes soft and pliable. 

Simultaneously oil is kept for heating in round big pan (all utensils are of copper as used earlier as a traditional way) on traditional fire wood stove which is made locally of mud. After the oil is get heated a perforated steel plate is taken and it is kept on heated oil pan on firewood. 

The dough made up of flour is rolled on it in forward -backward directions, as it rotates with force the long sticks (Khaje badiyo) comes from the perforated steel plate and falls in to the below pan containing hot oil.

Local sticks made up of bamboos are used for mixing and to separate the sticks (Khaje badiyo) so as to avoid its sticking. It is fried and cooked until light golden brown colour comes. The fried sticks are removed from pan and placed inside the Bamboo can basket and kept for drying. 

Jaggery is taken in a designated container or pan and kept on gas stove to make slurry of it. Wooden spoon is used to stir and melt the jaggery. Simultaneously grinded ginger and its juice is kept on adding to jaggery while it is getting melted. Continued stirring until it thickens and reaches to a one thread consistency. 

Jaggery syrup (slurry) is removed from the heating process and soon it is tossed on fried sticks slowly to coat it well. It is ensured that the each stick is well coated with the jaggery. After all sticks are well coated with jaggery then sesame seeds are sprinkle on it as required and kept mixture to harden for next one hour. As slow drying makes it tastier. 

Goan Jatras, are usually celebrated in winters and this season demand for energy dense food to withstand the low temperature. Khaje being coated with jaggery is significantly dense in energy and is well complemented with pungency of ginger. The pulses used are rich in protein as well as carbohydrate, Jaggery is an extremely dense source of carbohydrate.

GI Tag Registration Date         : 14 September 2021

GI Tag Number                         : 655

Certificate Number                  : 400

Geographical Area                  : Goa

Special Cover Release Date   : 17 December 2021

Cancellation                             : Panaji 403 001

Type                                          : GI Tag Cover

Cover Identification Number  : MH/70/2021

Total 1000 Number of covers are issued and each cover is numbered. 

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233. Harmal Chilli

Harmal Chilli (Botanical name Capsicum annum L ) is famous variety of chilli grown in the Harmal village in Pernem Taluka located in North District of Goa. It is one of the most important spice crop of Goa. The chilies being grown extensively and in a traditional way and named after village name as Harmal Chilli. In local language called as Harmalchi Mirsank.

This chilli is known for its spicy taste compared to other Goan chilli varieties and high colour value. The Harmal chillies are reddish-brownish in colour and short in length. It is medium to highly pungent in taste and gives strong taste and Colour when added to food preparations and recipes in a small quantity. 

Image credit: sahasa.in

The Harmal Chilli is considered to be famous amongst other chillies available in Goa due to its important qualities which are not found in other chillies grown in Goa. This chillies grown on lateritic soil and also contains rich minerals such as Iron, Manganese and Copper. 

Though outer cover is thin, the stalk is strong and enhance the keeping quality (shelf-life) and can be stored for longer duration. Chilli fruits contain large quantity of seeds and hence yield good quantity of chilli powder and supports its characteristics of colour and pungency.

Harmal Chilli Plant is a sub-herb; plant are herbaceous or semi-woody annuals or perennials. The Plant has upright habit, grows up to the medium height and has narrow spread. The Plant has angled stem with pubescence. Leaves are lanceolate in shape, tapering to a sharp point. 

Leaves dark green on the upper surface and pale green on the lower surface. The flowers are small, white and borne singly in the axils of the leaves. The fruits are semi dropping and solitary narrowly triangular in shape

Harmal chilies are grown only for dry usage purpose either by making powder as a whole or mix and blended with other masala in different proportion to suit Goan cuisine such as chicken xacuti masala, garam masala for khatkhate and rechad masala (fish masala). Goan people traditionally prefer medium to spicy food and the above Pungency level gives the perfect medium spicy blends to Goan cuisine.

GI Tag Registration Date         : 14 September 2021

GI Tag Number                         : 642

Certificate Number                  : 387

Geographical Area                  : Goa

Special Cover Release Date   : 17 December 2021

Cancellation                             : Panaji 403 001

Type                                          : GI Tag Cover

Cover Identification Number  : MH/68/2021

Total 1000 Number of covers are issued and each cover is numbered. 

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107. Khola Chilli

Khola Chilli is famous variety of Chilli grown on the hill slopes in Canacona Taluka located in South District of Goa. Named after the village where it is grown extensively, this Chilli is known for its taste and colour. 

The Khola chillies are attractive red (brilliant red) in colour, longer in length and medium pungent in taste. The outer covering is thick hence less chances of breakage and has longer shelf life. The Chilli powder gives very attractive red colour when added in various food preparations and recipes.

Botanical name  : Capsicum annum L 

Local Name        : Mirsang, Mirchi 

Kingdom             : Plantae 

Family                 : Solanaceae 

Genus                 : Capsicum 

Khola Chilli Plant is an annual sub-herb; plants are herbaceous or semi-woody annuals or perennials. The Plant has upright habit, grows upto the medium height up to 80 cm in length and has narrow spread. The Plant has angled stem with pubescence. 

Leaves are lanceolate in shape with medium undulation of leaf margin, tapering to a sharp point. Leaves dark green on the upper surface and pale green on the lower surface. The flowers are small, white and borne singly in the axils of the leaves. Flowering occurs after a span of around 30-45 days after transplanting. The fruits are semi dropping and solitary narrowly triangular in shape. 

The peoples of khola village are cultivating this local chilli variety in almost every household on the slope of the mountains and open plains. Chillies are propagated through seeds which are first sown in nursery beds to raise seedlings. Farmers in Khola Village wait till the first rainfall for transplanting of the seedlings. 

Once after the plant acquired and established its root in the land, the roots are covered with available leaves in forest (Motoshi, Kumyaleafs in Goan language) to avoid the soil erosion due to heavy rain. It also act as mulching to stop further weeding and finally as a green manuring to provide fertilizer to the chilli crop. 

The Khola chilli is traditionally produced under organic way of production and No chemical fertilizer is used for Chilli plantation. Flowering commences 25-30 days after transplanting. On an average, Khola chilli produces about 400-500 flowers per plant. With average fruits up to 260-300 per plants. 

Harvesting of chilli is done when the fruits are well ripened by Hand. The chilli fruits which are collected are then washed and spread out in thin layer and dried in direct sunlight. Upon proper drying the chilli is ready for consumption. 

Chilly is used as an important ingredient in various curries and chutneys, either in green or dry form. Its paste is used as local stimulants to tonsils. In general chillies are rich in vitamins, Particularly Vitamin A and Vitamin C. They also contain good amounts of carbohydrates and proteins. 

Value added products like Recheado masala, Green chilli pickle, Raw mango pickle, Red chilli sauce, Khola chilli powder and Khola chilli flakes are also prepared using Khola Chilli. Making of papad with Khola Chilli powder is also a household activity in the village. 

GI Tag Registration Date         : 28 August 2019

GI Tag Number                         : 618

Certificate Number                  : 356

Geographical Area                  : Goa

Special Cover Release Date   : 27 August 2021

Cancellation                             : Panaji 403 001

Type                                          : GI Tag Cover

Cover Identification Number  : MH/25/2021

2000 Nos of covers are issued and each cover is numbered. Cover has a QR code at the back side.

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051. Feni

Feni a country liquor of Goa is produced by the fermentation and distillation of cashew apple juice obtained by crushing of cashew apples. It is colourless and has a strong fruity flavour, peculiar taste, strong aroma and astringent smell. 

The word “Feni” is derived as such due to the fact that when the liquor is shaken in a bottle or poured in a glass, some froth is formed which in the local Konkani language is known as “Fen”. The main components of the apple juice are moisture, carbohydrates, proteins, fat, sugar, tannic acid, Carotine, Vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus and iron.

Normally, the apples, which have fully ripened and fallen on the ground, are collected, crushed for the extraction of juice and the extracted juice is fermented and distilled without the addition of any foreign ingredient to obtain Feni. Basically, Feni production is undertaken for a period of three months only, as the apples are available only during the months of March, April and May.

Feni is also produced for its medicinal properties. It has been used for treating the ailments such as worm sickness, cold, body ache, fever or flu, toothache, wounds /cuts, cramps, low blood pressure, irregular movement of bowels, loss of sleep for aged people, diarrhea etc. Also, different types of cocktails can be prepared from Feni as base.

Reportedly, Feni is being produced at least for the last 450 years. The process of distillation is traditionally called Bhatti. The production process is also unique as it requires skilled workers and the production secrets are not shared beyond the community, which is engaged in traditional production of Feni. Crushing, fermentation and distillation are still practiced by the traditional method all over the state and thus gives employment to thousands of local people.

GI Tag Registration Date         : 05 March 2009

GI Tag Number                         : 120

Certificate Number                  : 105

Geographical Area                  : Goa

Special Cover Release Date   : 12 August 2021

Cancellation                             : Panaji 403 001

Type                                          : GI Tag Special Cover

Cover Identification Number  : MH/17/2021

This cover is issued in limited quantity of 2000 nos. with serial number printed on each cover

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Illustration depicts Cashew Fruit, Juice Extraction and Distillation process

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