Goa, a highly sought-after beach destination for tourists from all over the world, is renowned for both its mouthwatering food and its golden sand beaches. You have an abundance of options for fine dining as well as charming coastal shacks. We have all the answers you need if you’re thinking about what to eat in Goa.
Goa’s cuisine has a strong Portuguese colonial heritage infused with regional Indian flavors spanning five centuries. Using a variety of ingredients such as cashew, coconut, jaggery, and the kokum fruit, seafood is a staple diet. “Local dishes represent various ethnic groups of Goa — the Indo-Portuguese, the Hindu Saraswati, and the aboriginal or tribal groups of the area. This gives the food a complex flavor profile and a delightful blend of flavors.
Because they are so well-liked by tourists from other countries, the local chefs can accommodate a wide range of palates and levels of spice.
- Pork vindaloo
This fiery Goan curry, which gets its name from the Portuguese terms for garlic and wine (alho and vinho), was inspired by a dish that Portuguese sailors cooked using pork, garlic, and wine. Goan chefs added spices, chilli peppers, and palm vinegar in place of red wine.
- Vindaloo
There’s nothing that more strongly recalls Goa’s Portuguese heritage than the delicious vindaloo (also available in chicken). This spicy red curry got its name from a Portuguese sailor’s stew made of pork, wine, and garlic. The Portuguese term vin means wine and ahlo (garlic).
Over time, Goan chefs have infused the dish with their unique flavors by using palm vinegar in place of the wine and adding regional spices chili peppers and cumin.
- Crab Xec Xec
You’re in for a treat if you enjoy crabs! This classic Goan dish calls for gently cooking fresh crab in a thick coconut stew after flavoring it with tamarind and cloves. The somewhat spicy curry does not overpower the succulent crab flesh flavors. For a delicious main dish, pair it with either local bread (poi) or steaming basmati rice.
Among Althea’s favorite spots for Xec Xec are “Ritz Classic, Viva Panjim, Bombil, and Martin’s Corner.” Chef Avinash advises trying “smaller places that specialize in genuine Goa food” in the interim. You can hire a self drive car in Goa to reach at these places.
- Bebinca
Without mentioning this well-known Goan dessert, any list of things to eat in Goa would be inadequate. You’ll discover that when when it comes to having been associated with Goa, very few things can match bebinca. Binca is a coconut tiered dessert that takes a long time to prepare but doesn’t require many ingredients. Typically, a bebinca is made of eggs, butter, coconut milk, jaggery, and seven to sixteen layers.
According to legend, Bibiona, a nun at the Santa Monica Convent in Old Goa, is credited with creating it initially. This dessert’s seven layers were thought to symbolize Lisbon’s seven hills.
For your personal slice of this rich delight, visit Mr. Baker 1922, Viva Panjim, Souza Lobo, or Toro Toro. You can grab a scooty on rent or opt for self drive car rent in Goa to visit these famous points.
- Poee (Poi) Bread with Chorizo
Try some baked poi with juicy chorizo sausages for a satisfying breakfast or late-night snack. Local toddy was employed as an alternative source of yeast for fermenting in the first Goan poi bread. To make the bread softer, bakers have switched to commercial yeast throughout time.
Poi has a fascinating history. Goa’s hot and muggy climate made it challenging for European immigrants to keep their sausages fresh for extended periods of time. They thus began pickling the meat, which is now responsible for its unique acidic flavor, using vinegar, alcohol, and chillies.
“It has a lot of cultural significance,” says Althea in reference to the traditional Goan sausage. In addition to our stunning Portuguese architecture, we have assimilated many of the culinary traditions and palates of our Portuguese ancestors.
The vibrant markets of Goa are teeming with food and goods. An true local bazaar, Mapusa Market is a bustling place that attracts traders from all across Goa. In addition to vegetables, shoppers barter over apparel, textiles, antiques, and souvenirs. Calangute Market Square and The Anjuna Market are two other markets that are well worth visiting. If you are looking to hire a self drive vehicle to travel the local areas of Goa then Fast Rental Goa is a famous name that provide cars at very affordable prices and you can also book car rental at goa airport from them.
