Goan food is more than just seafood and fish curry rice. The coastal state offers some of the most lip-smacking traditional local dishes and lesser-known culinary gems. In her latest Instagram reel, content creator Aakriti Pandey shared a detailed guide to what to eat in Goa.
Recommending dishes that visitors should add to their food itinerary, Aakriti explained that Goan food is rich in flavors with Marathi, Konkan and Portuguese roots. Her first recommendation was Xacuti. “It is a roasted coconut and spiced gravy. Rich, fragrant, mostly made with chicken or meat, but a lot of places offer veg options as well,” she said.
Next, she recommended Vindaloo. “It comes from the Portuguese 'vinha d'alhos',” she said, explaining the dish is traditionally made with meat being slowly cooked with wine and garlic. “In Goa, vinegar, chilli and local spices turned it into a tangy, fiery curry. Get it with Goa's chewy whole wheat bread, Poi. You'll find vendors selling it fresh on a bicycle,” she added, saying that her personal favorite is butter garlic poi.
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Talking about Goa's famous fish preparations, she said that although she does not eat fish, those who do must try Goa's iconic Fish Thalis. The thalis mainly consist of fish curry, rice, and rava fried fish along with other side dishes.
For desserts, she recommended Bebinca. “It is thin layers of coconut milk, egg yolk and sugar baked one at a time. “I'm not the biggest fan of its taste, but it's a piece of art,” she shared. Up next, she talked about Serradura or 'sawdust', a chilled dessert made with cream and biscuit crumbs. “It has Portuguese roots,” she added.
For beverages, she advised her followers to look out for Kokum. “It is used as a cooler or as a mixer in feni or cocktails. It is perfect for Goa's humid temperature,” she said.
For her next beverage recommendation, she picked Sol Kadhi mixed with coconut. “Goa grows its own cashew, and the cashew apple is used to make two banger drinks,” she shared, urging people to taste Urak and Feni.
“Urak is a lighter, seasonal first distillate, usually found from January to March. Feni is distilled further and is much stronger. It's yummy, but it's around 45% ABV.”
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