This feast in the paddy fields of South Goa celebrates local harvest and Goan traditions

In Cansaulim, a quaint village lined by a secluded, golden beach on one side and the legendary Three Kings Chapel on the other, another edition of The Feast in the Fields returns, this year on November 23. 

Picture this: A tractor languidly hums on one side of a baandh, green paddy fields shimmer on a sun-filled Sunday.  A long table groans under the weight of traditional Goan delicacies. Sweet strains from a cello mingle with peals of laughter. The buzz of conversation is a palpable background score. This annual community-style dining experience held in the rice fields is immersive, joyful and more than just a meal. I was there last year, and the spice-scented memories have stayed with me. 

Guests at the event

Lost traditions 

The Feast in the Fields is organised by Hansel Vaz, (the founder of homegrown feni brand Cazulo Premium Feni), Goan chef Ralph Prazeres, and the platform Urbanaut. “For the first two years, I tried to revive the lost tradition of growing our aromatic Goan rice, giresal. This rice, indigenous to Goa, was always served to family and very close kin, on special occasions. Due to lack of pollination and rains, the crops failed and I was very distraught, and finally resorted to our usual variety. But, in the process, I learnt a valuable lesson on the vagaries of agriculture; that too, from my household help. That a harvest must always be celebrated,” says Hansel. 

This year will be even more special, because the food is the handiwork of Ralph, the owner of Padaria Prazeres a bakery-cafe. Ralph is an alumnus of Le Cordon Bleu in London, and has worked at restaurants such as St John’s, Clos Maggiore, The Rosewood London and Bao.

The Feast in the Fields
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

The menu

The event will have a multi-course harvest with vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, and two feni cocktails. This year, as Ralph joins the celebration, curating a new menu that reimagines Goan-Portuguese flavours, I ask him how he feels about it all. “I’m very excited to be a part of the fest this year. Back in the day, cooking was done on fire. We have seen this at my grandmother’s place and it used to bring such joy and bonding. This technique will be fun to recreate. Secondly, community style cooking is also something I’m looking to do more of,” says Ralph, asking me to watch out for the star dish, his special feijoada, with spicy bean, Goan sausage and pork belly. But, quite honestly, I am looking forward to his famous pasteis de nata, the very best, buttery, flaky, Portuguese egg-tarts in all of Goa, that he has promised to finish with. 

“At Feast in the Fields we want to create a truly one-of-a-kind, exceptional community experience; open to all, yet exclusive by its uniqueness and authentic curation,” shares Samyukta Ranganathan, founder of Urbanaut. 

Prices for the experience start at ₹29,490. On November 23, 12.20pm. At Cansaulim. For details, visit urbanaut.app