FOOD & SHOPPING

Goan Gastronomy: Goan Food is as Good as its Beaches

Shreya Sachar

Last updated: Jan 4, 2024

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What people choose to put on their plates every day says a lot about their culture and lifestyle. That’s why I was so fascinated by the diversity displayed in the food of Goa, a sinful goan gastronomy. It seems as if the best of Portuguese and Indian cuisine melted together to create flavours that linger on the tongue. I still crave the sour and rather spicy Goan fish curry I had at a small seaside restaurant over ten years ago.

goa-beach

Located on the Arabian Sea, there is no dearth of mouthwatering seafood in Goa. With palm trees lining the coast, coconut milk can be found in abundance here, making it a base ingredient for most dishes. From traditional fish curries to Fish Suke (dried fish) or Kismur (dried prawn salad), which is served as a side dish, Goans use coconut milk in everything. Personally I cannot go past the Samarein Chi Kodi, a traditional curry made with coconut and dried prawns, or the Maharashtrian inspired garlic pepper prawns.

sea-food-goa — Photo Credit: adactio / Flickr

The Portuguese, who ruled over Goa for more than 500 years, introduced several new flavours into the cuisine, including pineapples, guavas, chilies and cashews. This has added both sweetness and texture to some classic curries, desserts and drinks. Feni, which is the liquor of choice for many Goans, is made from the cashew apple and coconut. It may not be to everyone’s taste and is rather potent!

fish-diet-goa — Photo Credit: Dennis Wong / Flickr

While fish is certainly the staple diet, many vegetarian dishes influenced from across India also find place on a Goan menu. These include the staple dish of dali thoy, which is tur daal cooked in Konkan style or the spicy coconut soup of Salochi Kadhi, which can also be found in the cuisine of Gujarat.

Popular meat items include spicy pork vindaloo, which is now popular in places such as Australia. Chicken Cafreal is a simple yet delicious dish where chicken is marinated in green spices and coconut.

My favourite course has to be the dessert, which is something that Indian cuisine is famous for. This Indian influence can now be seen in Portugal through the dish Arroz Doce (sweetened rice), which is an adaptation of kheer. The best Goan dessert has to be Bebinca. This pudding has seven layers, which are believed to represent the seven hills of Old Goa and Lisbon. Legends aside, flavoured with coconut milk this simple but indulgent dessert is a great way to complete a Goan feast.

These global influences have made the cuisine of Goa unique. As I sit by the beach enjoying my feast of prawns in a spicy coconut broth or sun dried fish and rice, there’s just one thing that comes to mind…bon appetit.

Comments

Nilesh D | on 28 January 2013

The pictures are very nice. My stomach felt empty after looking at these. Fish is very healthy and tasty. It is low in fats, and high in protien.Goa is such a beautiful place & one of the hottest travel destination.