From the 1st of July, you'll find a new family dish on the menu at OASE's Strandtent. Through A Taste of Home, we invite a different Rotterdammer each month to share a dish that reminds them of home. This month, Nicky do Rosario is sharing her Cabo Verdean family recipe with us: Grão de bico.
Nicky do Rosario is a multidisciplinary creative with Cabo Verdean and Surinamese roots, born and raised in Rotterdam. Her work celebrates culture, community and authentic stories, while also encouraging people to think critically about social issues. Creating meaningful conversations and genuine connections is at the heart of everything she does.
"I didn't grow up eating traditional Cabo Verdean food every day, as I come from a mixed household. My mother was born in Cabo Verde and my father in Suriname, so these dishes were mostly reserved for special occasions. It was through family and the wider community that I later developed a deeper connection to Cabo Verdean cooking and learned to make these recipes myself.
This salad is one of those dishes that feels instantly familiar. It's simple, perfect for sharing, and often appears at family gatherings, picnics and sunny days outdoors. I love how every ingredient brings something different, yet together they create a balanced whole. To me, that's the beauty of Cabo Verdean food: bringing people, flavours and traditions together in one bowl."
"It's a dish that naturally brings generations together. My children love it, especially when their grandmother makes it, and that's how these traditions are passed on. The recipes aren't only handed down through written instructions, but by sharing meals around the table."
"This dish reminds me of the resilience of Cabo Verdean cuisine. Like many traditional recipes, it was born out of making the most of what was available. There wasn't an abundance of ingredients, so people created meals that were nourishing, practical and full of flavour."
"I hope people experience the balance of flavours and discover that simplicity can be deeply satisfying. The vinaigrette keeps everything fresh, while the potatoes and plantbased tuna make it both nourishing and light. It's the kind of meal that leaves you feeling energised rather than overly full.
More than anything, I hope people taste the resilience and warmth behind the dish. On 5 July, Cabo Verde celebrates its Independence Day, a reminder of the strength, creativity and spirit that have always shaped our culture. 1 July marks Keti Koti, the commemoration of the abolition of slavery in Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean, which is especially meaningful to me because of my mixed heritage. If sharing this meal helps people feel even a small part of those stories and traditions, then it has done exactly what it was meant to do."
