What is the food like in Goa?

Vindaloo

We think you may have heard of vindaloo – it’s only one of the most popular takeaway curries in the UK, after all. What you may not know, though, is that this staple Goan dish is crammed with Portuguese influence. Centuries ago, Portuguese sailors marinated strips of pork in garlic and wine, to help preserve the meat over long journeys at sea. Fast forward to today, and you’ll find it on almost every Goan restaurant menu. We must warn you, though – this dish is known for its fiery and zesty taste...

Cafreal

Chicken lovers will love tucking into spicy cafreal. This chicken dish is a Goan staple you have to try. It normally consists of whole chicken legs, which are covered in green chillies, fresh coriander leaves, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, and pepper.

Khatkhate

If you’re a foodie and want to try out something different in Goa, then you’ll love khatkhate. This unique vegetable curry is made from potatoes, green beans, curry leaves, carrots, lentils, and coconut, so it tastes really fragrant. It’s normally served with piping-hot rice, and if it’s too spicy you can always add a dollop of ghee butter to help cool it down.

Bebinca

Managed to save some room after your dinner? If you’re nodding, we recommend tucking into a slice of bebinca. This traditional Goan cake has seven delicious layers. It’s made from flour, sugar, ghee butter, egg yolk, and coconut milk, so it tastes really sweet. Plus, if you need to cool down after sampling one of the fiery Goan curries, why not pair your bebinca with freshly-made coconut ice-cream? Yummy.

HOW TO MAKE GOAN FISH CURRY AT HOME

Goan fish curry (serves two)

Spicy mix

1 tspfenugreek seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp peppercorns

For the fish

2 haddock fillets

2 limes, squeezed

1 tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp fine salt

2 tbsp coconut oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

5cm pieces of ginger, chopped

2 green finger chillies, sliced down the middle to release heat

1 large onion, sliced

1 tsp salt 600g tomatoes, chopped

1 can coconut milk

½ can water

2 tbsp tamarind sauce

Serve with: coriander leaves, spring onions, and basmati rice.

Place the haddock fillets into a dish. Combine the lime juice, salt, and turmeric together, before pouring on top of the haddock. Then, place the haddock in the fridge and leave to marinade for a few hours.

Using a non-stick frying pan, sauté the fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns on a medium heat for five minutes. Then, place the spicy mix into a pestle and mortar, and grind until it forms a powder-like consistency.

Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan, then add in the ginger, garlic and chillies, cooking for two minutes. Then, add in the spicy mix and cook for another two minutes. Add in the sliced onion and remaining salt, cooking on a low heat for 10 minutes.

Add in the chopped tomatoes and cook for two minutes, before pouring in the coconut milk, water and taramind sauce. After five minutes, add the haddock fillets into the pan and cook until they’re opaque in colour.

Serve the haddock with basmati rice, topping with sliced spring onions and coriander leaves.

Fancy sampling one of these Goan dishes?

Browse our holidays to Goa, India. Enjoyed reading this? You may also like to find out how to have a real-life Jungle Book experience, or why holidays to Goa are great for tea lovers.

Author: Olivia Hunt