Goa is a perfect place for those who want to spend vacations in a dream world. This beautiful coastal destination gets the honor of being one of the top three beloved places in India.
But Goa is not just about beautiful beaches and thrilling adventure sports. It is also a place for foodies.
The culinary delights of Goan cuisine tantalize the taste buds of food lovers with a seamless blend of local flavors and Portuguese influences.
Food in Goa is a mixture of fresh seafood and aromatic spices. It is not only comforting but exciting also. Whether you enjoy it in a shack or you eat in any roadside joint, the rich Goan food is always rich and diverse.
Why is Goan food a feast for the senses? It is because the food is made from local ingredients and age-old, tested cooking methods. Therefore, you get bold flavors and bright colors. Irresistible aroma and mouthwatering taste will make Goan food the best.
Here is a Food Guide to Goa.
Goan Fish Curry
Goan fish curry is the staple diet of everyone living in Goa. And it is perhaps the most famous dish worldwide that is associated with this beautiful state.
The Goan fish curry is loaded with spices, and it gets the special flavor of fresh coconut. To give it a tasty, tangy flavor, raw mangos are used.
Raw mango is also used to give the dish a tangy taste.
The key ingredients of the dish are decent-sized Pomfret and raw mangos. Kingfish can also be used if you do not have Pomfret. Goan fish curry is served along with rice.
Fish curry and rice are the most satisfying and complete dish of Goa.
Prawn Balchão
This is one of the signature dishes in Goa. This is a dish where you get spice-soaked prawn pickle with the tangy taste of chilli and tomato sauce with a flavor of caramelized onions and coconut toddy vinegar.
The specialty of this dish is a combination of marinated prawns and spicy and vinegary tomato-based sauce.
This is a versatile dish, which is served as curry with rice. It can be served as a pickle alongside meals.
Balchao is highly influenced by Portuguese taste. That’s why it is a beloved Goan classic.
Pork Vindaloo
When you are in Goa, you just can’t miss this Indo-Portuguese dish. The name Vindalu comes from two ingredients; wine vinegar and garlic. In the Portugese language, Vin is wine vinegar and Alho is garlic. To make the dish tasty, there is a sprinkle of spices. It gives the dish a unique, rich taste. Pork is the main ingredient, but it is also substituted sometimes with chicken or mutton. To make gravy, chilies and other spices are used.
Xacuti (Chicken or Mutton)
Chicken or Mutton Xacuti is another dish that has a direct influence of Portuguese culture.
The curry is made from chicken, onions, coconuts, chilies, and other spices. To give it a special hot flavor and bright color, Kashmiri chilies are used. The rich brown colored gravy gets flavors from roasted coconuts and onions. The most common choice is Chicken, but mutton and crabs are also used sometimes.
There are various versions of this tongue-tingling recipe, but all are equally tasty. Don’t miss it during your goa tour.
Bebinca
If you have a sweet tooth, then Bebinca is something that you should never miss. This is perhaps the most famous and beloved dessert.
This is nothing but a multilayered cake prepared with flour, eggs, sugar, and coconut milk.
First, the batter is poured into the pan, and then it is baked layer by layer. Caramelized sugar is used in the dish to get a rich flavor.
It needs special skill and a lot of patience to make this tasty cake. It is because you are supposed to cook each layer separately before adding it to the next layer. The final result is a highly tasty, moist, and rich cake.
Bebinca, the “Queen of Goan desserts,” is typically made during the Christmas season and other festive occasions.
To make it further special, the cake is served with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or a side of warm coconut milk.
Feni & Sol Kadi
Solkadhi, which is also known as solkadi is an essential drink for cooling the body in the troublesome summer season in Goa. When you book goa tour packages from Mumbai during this season, do not miss this drink.
This is a healthy and digestive beverage that keeps the body cool. It is very easy to make.
Sol kadi is a cold concoction made from kokum juice and spices. Generally, this non-alcoholic drink is served at the end of a meal because it works as a fantastic palate cleanser and digestive.
It is also made by adding coconut milk to the same concoction.
For Goans, summer is all the season of making Feni from cashew apples. It is distilled almost everywhere in Goa. The fruits are stomped first, and then the juice is fermented and distilled to procure Urrak. This drink has very short life and should be consumed within one week.
A second or third distillation can produce stronger alcoholic beverages called Feni. This drink has longer shelf life and good taste. Strong, fruity flavors and aroma are the special characteristics of Feni.
The basic variety is Cashew Feni, and another famous variety is coconut feni. This drink is the identity of Goa. You take it alone or make a part of cocktail, Feni is always superb!
Goa, located on the west coast of India, along the Arabian Sea shore, is one of the most visited places in India.
Not only is it rich in natural beauty, but in rich taste and flavor as well.
Most of the famous dishes have a direct reference and influence of the Portuguese times. Therefore, they are dominated by spices and flavors.
Whether it is Goan fish curry, which is a staple food, or Bebinca, which is a unique delicacy the spectrum is very wide.
Most of the dishes are loaded with spices, and they are dominated by seafood such as shark, tuna, pomfret, and mackerel fish.
