Munching the Yummiest Food Ever

Being a gourmand, I wanted my meals to be the most delectable ones in Goa. I' d been to Goa last year and I enjoyed everything I was served at different places. Goan food means the famous fish curry, rice and feni package. Isn't it? Well, yes the Goan food is a blend of various cooking styles and influences and that only makes it so exotic among other cuisines of India. After coming back from Goa, I became nostalgic or I usually ended up remembering the delicious Sorpotel made by an old village lady residing near the beach or the aroma of a large glass of feni. Sorpotel is usually served at festivals like Christmas or during weddings. How could I forget that loving old woman who made it specially for me under the earthen pot while i was lazing around the beach...

Let's move further..I wanted to let you know that Goan food and people are just perfect and everlasting. I made a move to my hotel where i resided. In the night we had prawn balchao.... trust me it was irresistible. Pickled in sugar, vinegar and spices for a day or two before eating, the flaming balchao added a unique accomplishment to Goan dishes. One of my friends asked the waiter casually ' hi man! Wat's the recipe of this balchao, we would love to know' and the one who was serving mockingly answered back ' Sir! Next time you wanna have it, we promise to make it yummier but cannot disclose the recipe. It's our job'! Well i think he was right.....he is not supposed to disclose the formula as, Goa flourishes through the business provided by its tourists.

The long period of Portuguese rule, likewise that of the Muslim and Hindu kingdoms, has imprinted a strong influence on the original style of Goan cooking and this has led to an exotic mix of truly tasty and spicy cuisine. I relished the Goan cuisine, which has a distinct and unique combination of spicy flavours. I noticed there that a Goan values his food as much as he does his daily siesta (break). And in his daily meal, seafood is a must. From fried fish to exotic to Kokum and from palm vinegar to coconut milk every dish and drink has its own uniqueness.

As, modern gizmo's have almost completely taken over in urban areas, the conventional way of cooking in clay pots on firewood continues in most rural areas of Goa. This style of cooking adds an extra smoky flavour to the food, highly valued by Goans.

Seafood such as prawns, lobsters, crabs, pomfrets, clams, ladyfish, mussels, and oysters are used to make a variety of curries, fries, soups and pickles. Besides fresh seafood, dried and salted fish dishes are also treasured by Goans.

I was fortunate enough to taste a wide variety of prawns to sausages, chicken to beef and innumerable vegetarian dishes. Goa has some spectacular culinary dishes such as Prawn Balch, Sorpotel and Bebinca which are famous all around the world. In case of Hindu Goans i could make out that there were not influenced by the Portugese and had their own peculiar method of making food.

One tip i would like to share with you is that - In Goan dishes, grinding is always part of the recipe and the nicer the dish the longer it takes to make. It was told by the loving old woman that I mentioned above. I'll always treasure what she told me and hope you'll too.