Goan Spices

Goan Cuisine

Goa is not only famed for its Beaches but also for its mouth watering food which have a distinct taste and flavour. Sea food lovers would find Goa the ideal place to treat themselves to freshly prepared seafood recipes . The Goans are also famed for their Pork recipes. Goan vindaloo and Assado de Leitao (roast pigling) not forgetting sorpotel which is usually eaten with sanas( rice and toddy cakes) are some of the pork recipes which are categorised with the state of Goa.

Goan Fish Curry

Fish curries are carefully prepared and the flavour is distinct as well as mouth watering.Coconut milk is an important ingredient in the preparation of some Goan foods.The prawn curries and fish curries are the best in Goa. For those who miss out on their typical breakfast of eggs can have it for lunch in the form of Goan egg curry. After you read this bit you might be wondering why the food in the other parts of India differs from Goa , it  is relatively different because each recipe is prepared using not powdered spices but freshly prepared pastes made of spices and herbs .Goans also use tamarind and vinegar (todd) in some of their food preparations.

Goan Sweets

For those of you who have a sweet tooth , Goa has a lot of sweet foods that when eaten give you the feeling of contentment and not the usual feeling of being bloated and guilty of putting on a few extra pounds. In Goa you should not miss out on having a slice of the famous Bebinca.
The food in Goa is actually a blend of the Hindu and Christian styles of cooking, the foundation laid by the fact that Goa was ruled by the different dynasties, not forgetting the Portuguese , Muslim and Hindu rulers that ruled Goa, all this has lead to the establishment of a very unique taste to the Goan food.
Goans are basically non-vegetarian and love to eat well. Different foods are prepared for different occasions and festivals. Goans spend lavishly on food and spare no expense for a good menu .

Goan Style Cooking

Another important difference in the styles of cooking between the Hindu’s and Christian’s is that the Hindu’s use tamarind in the preparation of their food which gives it a very tangy , spicy flavour while the Christian’s use Vinegar. Vinegar adds a very distinct flavour to the Food. But as time has passed they both have adopter each others style of cooking and thus swapped the use of tamarind or vinegar as ingredients in the preparation of their food. So to say Goan food is definitely a blend of different ingredients which work harmoniously to give it its distinct taste and flavour

 

Goan Recipes

  • Goan Vindaloo (Pork)
  • Assado de Leitoa (Roast Pigling)
  • Galinha com Coentro (Chicken with coriander)
  • Galinha Cafreal (Chicken marinated and fried)
  • Goan Sambharachi Kodi (Prawn curry)
  • Goan Fish Curry (Hot and sour)
  • Bebinca (Pastry)
  • Balchao (Prawn Preserve)
  • Sorpotel
  • Goan Egg Curry

     

    Goan Vindaloo (Pork)

    Ingredients

    1 kg lean pork cleaned
    10 cloves garlic
    1 inch piece ginger
    10 dried red chillies/peppers
    10 peppercorns
    8 cloves
    1 inch piece cinnamon
    1 tsp cumin seeds
    ½ mustard seeds
    2 medium onions, chopped fine
    ½ tsp sugar
    ½ tsp vinegar
    2 tbsp oil
    ½ peg coconut feni
    2 cups water
    Salt as per taste

     




    Method:

    • Cut the cleaned pork into ½ inch sized pieces.
    • Apply salt and keep aside.
    • Grind all the spices and blend it with vinegar, adding the ½ tsp sugar.
    • Apply the ground spices to the meat and marinate for 3 hours.
    • Heat the oil in the pan on medium heat and add the meat.
    • Fry the meat for few minutes, then add the chopped onion, coconut feni, rest of the vinegar and the water gradually.
    • Cover the pan and lower heat. Stir cook till meat is tender and the oil rises to the top.

      Note: Chicken or beef can also be used in the recipe given for Pork Vindaloo

     

    Assado de Leitoa (Roast Pigling)


    Ingredients

    4 legs of pigling
    4 inch piece of ginger
    25 cloves of garlic
    1 tsp cumin seeds
    2 inch piece of cinnamon
    16 cloves
    2 tsp peppercorns
    2 inch piece of turmeric
    1 tsp sugar or small bit of jaggery
    4 tbsp ghee or fat
    Salt as per Taste


    Method:

    • Wash the legs of the pigling well, prick slightly and rub in the salt and keep aside.
    • Grind all spices to fine paste with a little water and apply this paste to the legs.
    • Sprinkle a tablespoon of vinegar and keep aside for an hour or so.
    • Then take a pan, place it on slow fire, pour ghee or fat and arrange the legs.
    • Allow to sizzle for a while and then add 3 or 4 cups of warm water including the water with which the grinding stone has been washed.
    • When the water is almost dried and the meat is cooked, remove the pan from the fire.
    • With the help of a fork and knife ( do not use fingers) slice the meat off the legs very neatly and fry these pieces in ghee or fat in a frying pan.
    • Arrange the meat slices on a flat dish, sprinkle the gravy that is left in the pan over the meat and surround the meat with salad.

     

    Galinha com Coentro (Chicken with coriander)

    Ingredients

    2 chickens
    100 gm coriander leaves
    80 gm ginger
    80 gm garlic
    4 green chillies
    10 gm hot masala (cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, peppercorn & cumin seeds)
    ½ tsp turmeric powder
    15 gm cashew nut paste
    Oil to fry
    1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
    Salt as per taste


    Method:

    • Clean, remove skin and de-bone the chicken and cut into eight pieces.
    • Marinate the chicken with salt, lemon juice and turmeric powder and keep aside.
    • Grind the spice and other ingredients together to a fine paste.
    • Rub the chicken with ground paste. Keep it at least one hour for marination.
    • Heat oil and quickly fry the chicken on both sides, thereby sealing in its juice.
    • Do not over fry. Add remaining ingredients and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
    • Add salt as per taste. Remove and serve in its own pan juice.
    • Serve with local bread/garlic fried rice.

    Galinha Cafreal (Chicken marinated and fried)

    Ingredients

    • 1 full: Large chicken (1¼ kg:) jointed
    • 2 medium size: Onions, chopped fine
    • 4 large: Tomatoes, halved
    • 6 medium size: Potatoes, boiled, halved
    • 6 : Green chillies/peppers
    • 1 ¼ inch piece: Ginger
    • 10 cloves: Garlic
    • 1 tbsp: Coriander seeds
    • 1 tsp: Cumin seeds
    • ½ tsp: Garam masala
    • 1 tbsp: Lemon juice
    • 3 tbsp: Oil
    • Salt as per taste


    Method

    • Grind to a fine paste, the ginger, garlic and all the spices in the lemon juice, including the green chillies/peppers and half chopped onions adding salt as per taste.
    • Joint the chicken and apply the ground spices to the chicken pieces.
      Marinate the chicken for 2 hours.
    • Heat oil in a pan on medium flame and saute the rest of the chopped onion.
    • Fry the chicken turning them over both the sides till the pieces are browned and cooked (approx. 20 mins).
    • In a separate pan heat 1 tbsp oil and fry potatoes and then very lightly the halved tomatoes.
    • Serve the chicken with the fried potatoes and tomatoes.

     

    Goan Sambharachi Kodi (Prawn curry)

    Ingredients

    • 100 gm: Peeled prawns
    • 100 gm: Dried prawns
    • 4 medium size: Onions
    • 2 cup: Coconuts grated
    • 20 pcs: Bilimbis
    • 5 pcs: Mango seeds (padde)
    • 1 inch piece: Ginger
    • 6 flakes: Garlic
    • 6-7: Green chillies
    • Walnut sized ball of tamarind
    • 4-5 tbsp: Goan sambhar masala
    • 1 tbsp: Sugar
    • 4 pcs: Maggi cubes
    • 2 tbsp: Oil
    • Salt as per taste


    Method

    • Mix the dried and fresh prawns together, salt and keep aside.
    • Slice the bilimbis, add a handful of salt and let it drain.
    • Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan.
    • Crush the ginger and garlic and fry over slow fire in the heated oil.
    • Slice the onions, and fry along with the ginger and garlic, till brown.
    • Remove the mixture in a bowl and keep aside.
    • Fry the blimbis in the remaining oil in the pan till they change color. Remove from the pan and keep aside.
    • Add ginger and garlic and fried onions back to the pan.
    • Add the prawns, mango seeds and green chillies and fry.
    • Extract thick coconut juice and keep aside.
    • Then take about 1½ litre of thin juice.
    • Take 4 to 5 tablespoons of the above sambhar masala and blend well with the coconut juice.
    • Add it to the prawn mixture in the pan and let it boil well for about half an hour. Then add the thick coconut juice, bilimbis, sugar, maggi cubes and ½ cup tamarind water. Let the mixture cook well. Add salt and sugar if necessary.
    • Serve with boiled Goa rice as a curry.

    Goan Fish Curry (Hot and sour)

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 kg: Shark fish or sting ray
    • 1 medium size: Onion, chopped fine
    • 8 Cloves garlic
    • 1" piece: Ginger
    • 8 : Red dried red chillies or peppers
    • 10 pcs: Peppercorns
    • 8 pcs: Cloves
    • 1 stick Cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon: Cummin seeds
    • 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder
    • 1 teaspoon: Sugar
    • 2 tablespoons: Vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon: Oil
    • A few curry leaves
    • 1 1/2 cups: Water
    • Salt as per taste


    Method

    • Clean, wash and slice fish. Apply salt and keep aside.
    • Grind all the spices, garlic and ginger in the vinegar then add the sugar.
    • Heat oil on medium flame and sauté onion till golden brown. Add the ground spices to this and stir fry for 1 minute. Add the curry leaves and the water gradually. Stir cook 15 minutes till the sauce is thick. Add the fish pieces and cook for 8-10 minutes. Remove and serve.


    Bebinca (Pastry)


    Ingredients

    • 200 gm: Rice flour
    • 10 : Egg yolks
    • 1 cup: Coconut juice (thick)
    • 1/4 tsp: Nutmeg (powdered)
    • 200 gm: Ghee (clarified butter) or hydrogenated oil
    • 500 gm: Sugar


    Method

    • Take the coconut milk, mix it with the rice flour, sugar and egg yolks. Stirs thoroughly till sugar has dissolved, add nutmeg powder and keep aside.
    • Heat a little ghee in a pan and pour in one cup of batter. Bake till brown. Add another spoonful of ghee and another cup of batter. Bake and repeat this till all the batter is used up.
    • Turn the bebinca upside down and cool before serving

    Note: Baking of bebinca is done over a slow fire. Preferably a charcoal fire.

    Balchao (Prawn Preserve)

    Ingredients

    • 1/4 kg: Prawns (shelled).
    • 1 cup: chopped onions
    • 1 inch piece: Ginger, finely chopped
    • 3 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
    • 4-5: Green chillies, seeded and chopped
    • 1 tsp: Cummin seeds
    • 1 tsp: Peppercorns
    • 10 : Kashmiri chillies
    • 1 tsp: Ground turmeric
    • 2 cups: Oil
    • Minced handful of curry leaves
    • Vinegar to taste
    • Salt to taste

                                      
    Method

    • Grind together the cumin, peppercorns and chillies with the vinegar. Mix in the turmeric.
    • Heat the oil and add the curry leaves and fry until brown. Add the prawns, masala, garlic, ginger     and green chillies. Simmer for 10 minutes or so.

    Sorpotel

    Ingredients

    • 1 kg: Pork (liver and heart)
    • 1/2 kg: Pork liver and heart
    • 1 cup: Pork blood mixed with 1/2 cup coconut vinegar
    • 1 pod: Garlic, finely chopped
    • 2 inch piece: Ginger, finely chopped
    • 1 cup: Onions, finely chopped
    • 4-6: Green chillies, finely chopped
    • 1/4 bottle: Coconut vinegar
    • Small ball of tamarind, soaked in a cup of water
    • to taste
    • Grind these into a paste with a little vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon: Cummin seeds
    • 6-8: Cloves
    • 1 tsp: Turmeric
    • 10 pcs: Peppercorns
    • 1 inch piece: Cinammon bark
    • 18-20: Dry chillies


    Method

    • Wash and boil the uncut pork, liver and heart. Cool and cube into small pieces then brown in a little pork fat, remove and set aside.
    • Add ginger, garlic and onions and fry until onions change colour. Add masala and stir and fry for a minute or so then return meat to pan along with the tamarind and some of the vinegar if more liquid is required. Cook on a low heat for 1- 1 1/2 hours until meat is tender. Add the chillies and blood, cook for another ten minutes or so.

    Goan Egg Curry


    Ingredients

    • 6 Eggs-full boiled and shelled
    • ½ cup: Coconut cream
    • ¾ cup: Coconut-grated
    • 2 cups: Grated tomatoes
    • 6 cloves: Garlic
    • 2 tsp: Chopped ginger
    • 2 cups: Grated onions
    • 2-3 : Green chillies-slit
    • 2 tbsp: Chopped coriander leaves, for garnish
    • 2 tbsp: Cumin-roasted
    • 1 tbsp: Tamarind paste
    • 2-4 : Whole dried red peppers-roasted
    • 2 tbsp: Coriander seeds-roasted
    • 1 tbsp: Poppy seeds-roasted
    • 8-10 : Curry leaves
    • 1 tsp: Garam masala
    • 1 tsp: Turmeric
    • ¼ cup: Oil
    • 1 ½ tbsp: Salt


    Method

    • Grind the coconut, garlic, ginger, and the roasted ingredients to a fine paste.
    • Heat oil, add onions and curry leaves and stir fry, till the onions are a golden colour.
    • Add the tomatoes and stir fry till fat separates, and add the ground paste, garam masala, turmeric and salt, and stir fry till fat separates again. Add about 2 cups: water and mix well. When it comes to a boil, lower heat and simmer 8-10 minutes.
    • Add coconut cream and tamarind, bring to a boil, then simmer 2-3 minutes.
    • Add eggs and serve hot garnished with the coriander leaves.

     

    Green Beef Curry (Goan)
    Ingredients

    • 1 kg Beef
    • 3 onions
    • 4 flakes Garlic
    • Small peace of Ginger
    • Salt
    • 4 green chillies
    • 1 red kashmiri chilli
    • ½ tsp tumeric powder
    • 10 cloves
    • 1 peace of cinnamon
    • 4 pods cardomon
    • ½ tsp jeera
    • Garlic and ginger paste
    • Corraiander
    • 3 potatoes
    • French beans

    Method

    • Cut the beef into bits and apply salt and a little garlic and ginger paste, leave for about 30 mins.
    • Boil beef with water in a pressure cooker so that the beef gets tender.
    • Cut onions say 2 or 3 into thin slices and season with oil and lower the cooked beef into it and let it simmer on slow fire.
    • Grind the following : 4 fat green chilies slit them and with a teaspoon scoop the seeds and trash then as they make the masala spicy, add 1 red kashmiri chilly as well, cut a small onion and put it in a blender, half tsp turmeric powder, 10 cloves , 1 peace of cinnamon, 4 pods of cardamom, half tsp of jeera, 4 flakes garlic and a small peace of ginger and a little bit of tamarind , grind all this and add to beef.
    • Keep the curry thick and add tomatoes and put into the curry.
    • French beans and potatoes can also be added
    • When the curry is cooked add coriander leaves fine
      grind the following :for i kg beef -----take 4 fat green chilies slit them and with a teaspoon scoop out the seeds and trash them as they make the masala spicy , add maybe 1 red Kashmir chilly as well , cut a small onion and put it also into the blender ., half tsp of tumeric powder, 10 cloves , 1piece of cinnamon , 4 pods of cardamom , half tsp. of jeera , some 4 flakes garlic and a small piece of ginger  a nd a bit of tamarind little , grind all this and add to the beef.
    •  keep the curry thick and cut some tomatoes and put into the curry , potatoes could be added , one could also add French beans as well cut into half.
    • When the curry is cooked add cut coriander leaves fine and add to the curry and cook for 7 mins on slow fire.

     

    Fish Gisado( green fish curry- Goan)
    Ingredients

    • 2green chillies
    • 1 onion
    • 1 tomato
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • ½ tsp of cumin
    • Small peace of ginger
    • 6 cloves
    • Peace of cinnamon
    • 4 pepper corns
    • Mint leaves

    Method

    • slit 2 green chilies and knock of seeds
    • cut one onion fine
    • take 1 tomato and cut into pieces
    • cut 3 cloves of garlic and a small peace of ginger
    • take the finely cut onion, tomato, garlic and ginger and add little cumin 6 cloves a peace of cinnamon and 4 pepper corns and grind together.
    • Take a onion, cut it fine , sauté it with oil , add the ground masala and tamarind water and cut tomato and mint leaves (7 -10 ) , add fish and let it simmer , cook on slow fire.

    Yellow Pork Curry (Goan)

    Ingredients

    • 1 kg pork and quarter kilo of belly if pork does not have fat.
    • Garlic , ginger paste
    • Turmeric powder
    • Salt
    • 2 onions
    • Vinegar
    • 6 green chillies
    • 4 cloves garlic
    • Small peace of ginger
    • 6 pepper corns
    • ½ tbs of tamarind
    • A peace of cinnamon
    • 8 cloves
    • 5 cardamon peaces
    • ½ tsp sugar

    Method

    • Cut 1kg pork and quarter kilo of belly pork in cubes
    • Marinate the pork with garlic and ginger paste , tumeric and salt
    • Leave it for 1 hour and then boil with water on slow fire for about 30 mins or less but don’t cook the meat yet
    • grind together chillies, 4 cloves of garlic, a small epace of ginger,6 pepper corns, 8 cloves, 5 peaces of cardamom and a peace of  cinnamon(about 2 inches long), one small onion finely cut, a little tamarind1/2 tsp,  1 tbsp of vinegar , ½ tsp of sugar and a little water.
    • take some of the pre cooked pork and fry in oil and onion on slow fire till light brown .
    • Add the masala and cook for 5 minutes and then add vinegar for taste.
    • Garnish with coriander

    Goan Beef Roast
    Ingredients

    • 1 kg beef
    • Salt
    • Ginger garlic paste
    • Lime juice
    • Vinegar
    • Turmeric powder
    • 1 small peace of Cinnamon stick
    • 6 pepper corns
    • 4 cloves
    • Lime juice (juice of ½ lemon)
    • 3 cardamoms
    • 4 red chillies
    • 1 tomato
    • 3 onions
    • 1 tbs of worstershire sauce
    • Pinch of sugar
    • 4 potatoes

    Method

    Cut big pieces of beef, wash and drain

    • Apply salt, ginger garlic paste, vinegar,lime juice and turmeric
    • Fork the meat peaces
    • Take a few cinnamon sticks , a few cloves , a few cardamoms peppercorns and crush them with a stone or in a motor and pestal and add this to the marinade.
    • Break around 4 red chilies (dry ones), cut onions circular about 2 or 3 , break 3 or 4 red chilies dry ones , cut a big tomato into round slices, and also 1 tablespoon full of worstershire sauce and add this also to the mixture  and leave the meat in a glass bowl making sure it is covered with a lid, but occasionally keep turning the meat so as to have all the peaces sit well into the marinade .
    • Keep the meat overnight in the fridge  
    • The next day heat a little oil add a pinch of sugar and keep the flame low and don’t brown it too much or else the meat could taste bitter.
    • Add the peaces of meat and keep the flame a little high ,don’t add the marinade yet , let the water seep out of the beef and then cover with a lid .
    • After water seeps out of meat peaces add marinade and cook for around 30 mins .
    • Let the meat cool off , slice the chunks of beef and put in into the grasy of the meat .
    • Add potatoes and cook for 15 mins on very slow fire.

     

     

     

    Those were some of the famous Goan recipes if you want to try your hand at goan cooking.
    Bon appetite!