Goan Cuisine

Goan cuisine consists of regional foods popular in Goa. Rice, seafood, coconut, vegetables, meat, pork and local spices are some of the main ingredients in Goan cuisine. The area is located in a tropical climate, which means that spices and flavors are intense. Use of kokum is another distinct feature. Goan food is considered incomplete without fish. Rice with fish curry is the staple diet in Goa. It is similar to Malvani or Konkani cuisine. Goan cuisine is renowned for its rich variety of fish dishes cooked with elaborate recipes. Coconut and coconut oil is widely used in Goan cooking along with chilli peppers, spices, and vinegar giving the food a unique flavour.  An exotic Goan vegetable stew, known as khatkahate, is very popular dish during the celebrations of festivals; Khatkhate contains at least five vegetables, fresh coconut, and special. The most popular alcholic beverage in Goa is feni; cashew feni is made from the fermentation of the fruit of the cashew tree, while coconut feni is made from the sap of toddy palms.

Popular Goan Hindu dishes include:

•   Humann – Fish curry and rice also known as kadi or ambot
• Fried fish
•   Fish suke or dhabdhabit – Dry spicy preparation of fish, eaten as a side dish
• Solachi kadi - A spicy coconut and kokum curry
• Different varieties of sweet made from rice and lentils, such as payasu, patoli, madgane, kheer, etc.