What happens when a Foodie visits Goa...
The
small Western State of Goa in India has been ever famous for three things…the
beaches, it’s easy-going nature and it’s food..Goan Cuisine. The men of Goa
with their pot bellies are evidence of the fact that Goans loves their Food.
Food in Goa is influenced by Christians
and Hindus. The long period of Portuguese rule,
besides that of the Muslim and Hindu kingdoms, has left an indelible influence
on the original style of Goan cooking and this has led to an exotic mix of
truly tasty and spicy cuisine.
SEA FOOD
Goa is famous for its seafood, the best
dish being Goan fish curry. Apart from a Curry preparation fish is also fried
and sometimes pickled. Kingfish are probably the most common item, on the menu,
but Pomfret, Doumer, Shark, Tuna and mackerel are hot favourites as well.
1. Fish Curry
In Konkani, ‘ambot’ means spur and
‘tik’ means spicy. As the name suggests, this dish is slightly sour and
pungent. The sour comes from the use of the petals of the tart ‘Kokum solam’.
Known to be a cooling agent and honoured for its medicinal value, the red-coloured
fruit of ‘Kokum’ is the real king of Goan cuisine.
2. Fish Recheado
Recheado means stuffed in Portuguese and in this recipe, a fresh whole
fish, usually a Pomfret, is slit down the center and stuffed with a spicy red
paste, after which it is shallow fried. Mackerel Recheado is one of Goa’s most
famous dishes. The red Recheado masala is made using Kashmiri red chilies, garlic,
cumin, peppercorns and tamarind. It is
very tasty and can be used to prepare
many other Goan seafood dishes.
3. Pork
Pork
is a popular meat available in Goa.Though the Hindus and Muslims of the state
don’t eat pork because of religious constraints, it is widely popular among the
Christian community and is in the main dishes of any festival or celebration.
Vindaloo and Sorpotel are among the most famous pork dishes of Goa along with
their spicy chourico sausages.
4. Chouricos ( Spicy Goan Sausages)
Chouricos are spicy pork sausages,
which owe more than a debt to Portuguese culinary traditions. Goan sausages are
prepared using well salted and spiced cubes of pork. Once they have been made,
the strings of sausages are dried in the sun and then hung above the fire where
they are gradually smoked.
5. Chicken Xacuti
This dish is loved by those who prefer a spicy
preparation tremendously. Xacuti (pronounced as sha-coo-ti), makes use of
plenty of spices like nutmeg, coriander leaves, red and green chilies, ginger
and cloves. Additionally tamarind and lemon juice make for a pungent curry. The
dish can also be made with mutton or fish.
Sweets
Offering
and impeccable blend of Portuguese extravagance and the simplicity of Konkan
cooking style, the sweets of Goa are a must try for must try for every foodie.
The desserts are kept simple in Konkan, it takes a lot of effort to create those culinary
magic dishes. Most of the Goan cakes were developed in Goa’s convents and
monasteries, where time was never in short supply.
The most famous Goa’s sweetmeats is
bebinca also known as ‘bibik’.It is a wonderful concoction made from layer upon
layer of coconut pancakes. Each scrumptious layer has to be baked before the
next one is added, traditionally it has 16 layers, but can be made with less or
more. Though the process of making bebinca is tedious process the dessert is a
mouth-melting dream. Dodol is another famous Goan sweet, traditionally eaten
during Christmas and made with rice flour,coconut milk, jaggery and cashew
nuts. It is cooled in a flat pan and served in slices, and is really sweet.
And to wash that down, the Local drink Feni
An accompaniment to wash down all Goan
food is the locally made Feni. Though
other forms of liquor are available
across the state, the Goans are as crazy about their Feni as they are about their food.
There are two types of Feni, both of
which are made from local ingredients. Coconut or palm Feni is made from the
sap drawn from the severed shoots on a coconut tree. Cashew or Caju Feni, on
the other hand, can only be made during the cashew season in late March and
early April.
Undoubtedly Goa’s most famous triple,
double distilled perfectly clear , this is a drink which deserves respect.
Goans are keen to offer advice not to drink it on an empty stomach and mix with
other spirits and certainly don’t swim after a couple of Fenis. But the best
you will hear is ‘you don’t realize how strong it is until you get up.
