Top 10 foods to try in Goa

10 Goan dishes to try

1. Pork vindaloo

Derived from the Portuguese words for garlic (alho) and wine (vinho), combined in a marinade, this spicy Goan curry originated from a Portuguese sailor’s dish made with pork, garlic and wine. Goan cooks substituted palm vinegar for red wine and added chilli peppers and spices.

Try our spicy and aromatic pork vindaloo recipe and then check out our other pork curry recipes.

2. Crab xec xec

This thick roasted curry is made with grated coconut and strong spices such as cloves and tamarind. It's the ultimate dish for crustacean lovers, served with rice or bread.

Try our crab curry from Sri Lanka, made with similar flavours but using coconut milk instead of grated coconut.

3. Prawn balchão

Served as an accompaniment to a rice dish, or spread on toast, this is a spice-infused prawn pickle is made up of a fiery tomato and chilli sauce with caramelised onions and coconut toddy vinegar.

Try our Goan prawn, potato & coconut curry, it uses Goan spices but is missing the vinegar. For more seafood dishes infused with Indian and Thai spices, check out our prawn curry recipes.

4. Sanna

Also known as idli in India, sanna are spongy steamed rice cakes. The plain version is often eaten with Goan pork sorpotel curry, and a sweet version called godachi sanna is made with jaggery – unrefined sugar made from cane or palm.

For further inspiration on what to serve with your curries, check out our helpful guide on the best side dishes to serve with a curry.

5. Goan red rice

Also called ukda rice, this is popular in gourmet circles in India. An unpolished thick-grained rice with a reddish-brown colour and nutty flavour, its firm texture makes it excellent for soaking up coconut curries.

Rice is a store cupboard staple that can be used in a number of ways, from healthy salads to accompanying curries. Check out our rice recipes for inspiration, including basmati, long-grain rice, black rice, and more.

6. Choris pão

A tasty Goan sausage bread, made with Portuguese chouriço, a spiced pork sausage.

7. Poee

Of all the Portuguese-inspired breads in Goa, poee (or poi) is probably the most famous. The first Goan pão (bread) was made using local toddy as a source of natural yeast, giving it an original character. Today, most bakers make it using commercial yeast, which yields the same fluffy interior – perfect for mopping up curries.

Flatbreads make a great addition to any meal. Check out our flatbread recipes, from cumin-spiced and seeded to halloumi-filled.

8. Kingfish

Known as vison or visvan, kingfish is a delicacy in Goa. A popular take is kingfish rawa fry: fillets are lightly coated in semolina and fried to form a crispy exterior and succulent interior. It’s also used in surmai (kingfish) curry, which contains grated coconut.

Asian spices work perfectly with fish, from Keralan-style mackerel curry to creamy shellfish masala. For further inspiration, check out our fish curry recipes.

9. Feni

A spirit produced exclusively in Goa. Cashew feni, made from the first extract of the cashew, is courtesy of the Portuguese, who first brought cashews to the Indian subcontinent. Coconut feni, distilled from fermented toddy from the coconut palm, is more popular in South Goa.

10. Bebinca

A multilayered coconut cake truly unique to Goa. Although it requires few ingredients, the dish takes a long time to make. Legend has it that the sweet was invented by Bibiona, a nun at the Convent of Santa Monica in Old Goa.

Satisfy your sweet tooth with our best-ever Indian sweets and dessert recipes.

3 more travel tips

1. Drink kokum

Kokum, a plant in the mangosteen family is found in the coastal areas of western India. Its ruby-coloured fruits are juiced as well as dried, and used to sour fish and prawn curries in Goan cuisine. Rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, kokum juice is a refreshing drink to beat the heat. Kokum solkadhi, also known as kokum kadhi, is a spicy-tangy-sweet beverage made with coconut milk, spices and liquid extracted from kokum peel. Good for digestion, it’s served at the end of meals.

2. Visit the markets

Goa’s bustling markets are bursting with everything from trinkets to food. Mapusa Market, an authentic local bazaar, is a vibrant spot that draws vendors from across Goa. Shoppers haggle for the best prices on produce as well as clothing, antiques, souvenirs and textiles. Others markets worth visiting include the Anjuna Flea Market and Calangute Market Square.

3. Talk to the locals

Goans are friendly and happy to share their thoughts on local cuisine, their Portuguese past, and the ever-evolving dining scene.

Enjoyed this? See more foodie travel guides...

Top 10 foods to try in Sri Lanka
Top 10 foods to try in Old Delhi
Top 10 foods to try in Kerala
Top 10 foods to try in Rajasthan

You can also find lots more foodie travel tips at our travel hub.

Have you ever visited Goa? Do you have any tips? Leave a comment below...

Travellers are advised to read the FCO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice for the country they are travelling to.