"The culture and local produce of a place affects the cuisine".
This saying is quite evident in the cuisine of Goa. Goa is a tropical coastal state in the Indian subcontinent. The weather and the location favours cultivation of coconut, kokum, cashews, tamarind, teflam and jaggery. You would find a strong presence of all the local products in the various recipes of Goa. Moreover, Goa was a Portuguese colony for 450 years. The effect of the colonial rule has a strong prominence on the cuisine. Plenty of Portuguese dishes have been Indianised to develop an unique Goan cuisine.
So, when you finally manage to successfully plan the much awaited trip to Goa, do remember to munch on these delightful delicacies. They are the perfect blend of Occidental and Indian cuisine.
- Prawn Cocktail:
Goa is a coastal state with a wide variety of prawns. The cocktail is a unique Goan dish, which you would not find anywhere else. So, do not miss your glass of the crunchy delight. As you relax near the Calangute beach remember to dig into the delightful treat before checking into an hourly couple friendly hotel in Calangute to rest for the day.
2. Prawn Balchao:
We all love the tangy and spicy pickles. Almost anything, including prawns, can be preserved by converting them into pickles. The spicy crunchy tasty prawn pickles are sure to rouse your senses and leave you licking your fingers long after the pickle is over. You would definitely muse over the taste even while you rest in an hourly couple friendly hotel in Anjuna.
3. Samarachi Kodi:
The delicious dish can be prepared by prawns or ducks. The major ingredients of the curry are onion, coconut milk, coconut, tomatoes and tamarind. The ingredients provide the spicy tangy taste. The taste would linger along even after checking into an hourly couple friendly hotel in Arpora.
4. Squid Fry:
You absolutely cannot miss the sea-food in Goa. The stir fried squid recipe is the perfect snack to munch on the beach. The sea waves in the cool evening set the perfect backdrop for the crunchy delight. When you leave your hourly couple friendly hotel in Dona Paula to enjoy the evening by the beach, remember to munch on crunchy squid fry.
5. Chicken Xacuti:
The perfect spicy treat for the meat lovers has a rich texture and flavor. The chicken is cooked extensively in all the spices so that you get the smoky deep taste of all the spices with each bite. Poppy seeds are notable feature of the chicken preparation. The recipe can also be prepared with crab and eggs. The crab and eggs version is also equally tasty.
6. Chicken Cafreal:
The curry prepared with vinegar, rum and spices cook the chicken thoroughly such that the meat is tender and soft enough to melt in mouth. The rum and vinegar add the tangy flavor. The burst of taste tingles our taste buds at each bite.
7. Xitti Codi:
You absolutely cannot miss fish in Goa. Pomfret is a favourite on the beach. The fish is marinated by a variety of spices and cooked thoroughly for the perfect mix. You can get the rich taste with each bite. The raw mango is a notable part of this dish and gives the tangy flavor to the fish.
8. Pork Vindaloo:
Vindaloo is a tangy tasty curry made with vinegar and ginger. Pork is famous in Goa and quite an integral part of the daily Goan diet. You can be much better assured of the quality of pork in Goa than in any other state in the country. The delicious delight is quite a treat for the adventurous foodies.
9. Feijoada:
Another revered pork recipe is a Goan favourite delicacy. The Feijoada is prepared with pork and red beans. The Portuguese delicacy is Indianised by spices. Often coconut milk is added for thicker gravy.
10. Sorpotel:
The pork or beef delicacy is cooked with meat, mutton liver, herbs and spices. No doubt, it is a rich gastronomic indulgence. It is very popular with hard drinks.
11. Rava Fried Fish:
Fish fried in a spicy rava paste is a unique Goan snack you might not find elsewhere. The spicy rava paste is made by mixing rava with garlic, turmeric, red chilies and salt.
12. Shark Ambot Tik:
As the name suggests the dish is sour and spicy. Quite literally, Ambot means sour and Tik means spicy. The shark is cut into appropriate pieces and cooked with spices and kokum fruit. The fruit adds the sour taste while the spices balances the spicy flavor.
13. Fonna Kadi:
The curry prepared with coconut milk, kokum fruit, mustard seeds and coriander leaves is a delightful Goan version of the popular Indian buttermilk curry. The Fonna Kadi with rice is a sumptuous meal for lunch. After the lunch you must head straight to an hourly hotel in Goa for siesta.
14. Sanna:
Any Goan meal is incomplete without the authentic Goan bread prepared by steaming fermented rice and coconut.
15. Bebinca:
Who can miss the delicious layered pudding? The dessert is an indigenous Goan sweet dish. It is widely accepted that the 7 layers depict the 7 hills of Lisbon. Each layer of the cake is prepared with a different ingredient with jaggery dominating and binding all the layers. The famous dessert is evidently a must-have in Goa. You must dig into the delicious dessert before checking into an hourly hotel in Salcette to retire for the night.
16. Goan Nevri:
The ball-shaped fried sweet dish is a delight for your sugar-tooth. The deep fried flour dough is stuffed with coconut, sugar, cardamom and almonds. This is the Goan version of the popular Indian sweet, Gujiya.
17. Patolea:
The sweet dish is an Indian variety of rice dumpling. A mixture of jaggery, cardamom and coconut are stuffed inside rice balls. The rice balls are further wrapped in turmeric leaves and steamed appropriately. The dessert is extremely healthy too.
18. Perad:
The toothsome Christmas dessert melts in your mouth. Popularly known as "Guava Cheese", it is prepared with Guava pulp and sugar. You would rarely find another dessert with a similar taste or texture. Unwind over the delicious dessert in an hourly couple friendly hotel in Goa.
The list is absolutely not exhaustive. There is a lot more to explore and taste in Goa. The best time to visit Goa is definitely during the Carnival. Hope you enjoy your stay with delicious food to taste.