An Introduction To Goan Cuisine

Goan cuisine is the end result of the blending of local Konkani and Portuguese food styles. This culinary amalgamation and adaptation has created fiery, coconut based curries and stews using pork (unusual in India) and beef and rich cakes and pastries, as well as an interesting range of port and red and white wines.

You find restaurants of all descriptions everywhere! From elegant old world restaurants and smart in-house restaurants in hotels and resorts to cafes, bars and beachside shacks. If you can handle the pungent spices, do try a plate of the local staple of fish curry and rice, freshly caught and cooked up especially for you, at one of the beach shacks. Most places serve both local specialities and other Indian regional cuisines like Gujarati, Punjabi, south Indian and even an indigenous variety of Continental and Chinese cuisines. The more classy places serve authentic international cuisines like Thai, Japanese, Italian, Portuguese and French.

For people who love their food with a bit of zing and zest, Goa is just the place to be. Goa’s famous Pork Vindaloo is the fiery local speciality, cooked in hot red chilli peppers and vinegar – it’s hot and tangy. Other specialities of Goan cuisine are equally well known, and you should sample them -- Xacuti (a chicken or meat dish), Chourisso (spicy Goan sausages), Sorpotel (a pig liver dish) and Prawn Balchao and finish off with the delicious, much relished desserts, Dodol and Bebinca. Fresh seafood is an absolute must with prawns, crabs, mussels and fish cooked in local styles or mouth-watering creations of lobster cooked in wine and cheese.

Hey, you thought we forgot to mention drink; Feni is the word........the local cashew fruit or coconut brew hits all the right spots. For the less adventurous, there are some local ports and red and white wines or the cool, refreshing coconut water drunk straight from the tender green coconut. Alcohol is readily available at a fairly affordable price at all restaurants and even the beach shacks!