GOAN FOOD

The Goan food has a strong Portuguese influence. The staple diet of  Goa is fish-curry- rice. The Kingfish (Vison) as they call it in Goa, mackeral (Bangda), shark and tuna fish is perfect fit for a complete Goan fish curry rice dish.The fish curry could either be tuna fish or prawn curry served along with fried mackeral or Kingfish. The mackeral fish is marenated in Goan masala and is slightly spicy. It goes well with boiled rice which is served in all restaurants and hotels in Goa. The price varies in season and from place to place. But a normal fish curry rice should cost around Rupees 50 to 150 per cover depending on the hotel and service charges. A decent meal for two should cost approximaely Rs 200 without drinks. Water served in restaurants are free and in most village restaurants, boiled water is available.
Goan food is mostly sea food based and beach shacks restaurants along the coast will serve you these dishes but at a premium price. Check out the restaurants along the road where you would find authentic food but the surroundings might put off a few.
Mix bhaji pau (mixed vegetabe along with fresh bread) is a quick snack which consists of cauliflower smashed along with potatoes and tomatoes. Just to give you a brief insight, the Portuguese brought potatoes, tomatoes, pineapples, guavas and cashews from Brazil to Goa. Tomatoes and potatoes were not accepted by the Hindus, until the late 20th century. The most important part of Goan spices, the chili, was introduced by the Portuguese which became immensely popular. All these above mentioned ingredients were not used in Goan cuisine before the advent of the Portuguese.
The Hindu and Catholic food preparations are prepared differently. Even the food is different. The Goan Hindu normally have vegetarian food with fish curry rice being the secondary dish. The Catholic families indulge in meat and fish and less in vegetarian dishes.
The monsoon's usher in huge demand for frozen fish and hence many restaurants have seasonal rates on their menu card. Fish eater's in Goa normally make up by fishing on weekends in the sweet waterlakes during monsoon's as fishing is banned during monsoon's by the Governmen of Goa.
Some of the popular Goan dishes are listed below to give readers a fare idea of what to look ahead on the menu card.

GOAN MEAT DISHES

Goan Pork Vindaloo

Sorpotel

Chicken Cafreal

Goan Roast Chicken

Goan Meat Curry

Chicken Xacuti

Goan Salted Pork

Goan Feijoada

Goan Mixed Meat Stew

Goan Egg Curry

Goan Tongue Roast

Beef Croquettes

SEA FOOD

Prawn and Lady Finger Curry

Prawn Rissoles

Caldine Curry

Goan Fish Curry

Shark Ambot Tik

Crab Xacuti

Prawn Balchao

Sweet & Sour Prawns

Samarachi Kodi

Bangda Curry or Goan Mackerel Curry

Recheado Masala

Bon Appetite!