Welcome to _ goan cusineGroup members RAHUL RAJAN» Goa !/'gou.a/ 1s India’s em lest small y area and ihe fourt! 3 by population. a a in the region known aed e Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian pea forms its western coast. Goa ndia's richest state with a GDP per capita two and a half times that of the country as a whole./4] It was ranked the best placed state by the Eleventh Finance Commission for its infrastructure and ranked on top for the best quality of life in India by the National Commission on PopulationCapitalofgoa Konkani it is often pronounced as ‘Ponnji’. The Portuguese name for it was 'Pongim', from which originated the other name by which it is known - Panjim. The name Panjim is used mostly by English speaking people. » The capital of Goa lies on the banks of the Mandovi estuary, in the district of North Goa. Panaji means 'the land that does not flood’. Panaji, the capital of Goa, is built around a church facing a prominent square. Panaji has some beautiful Portuguese Baroque style buildings. The riverside too offers a fine view.Go Goa, Go Carnival Simply applauded as the festival of fun, frolic and music, the Carnival is celebrated just before Lent in February. You can see colourful parades trimmed with mind-blowing music and lavish ats, and the uproarious festivities of re presided over by King» While Goa celebrates 365 days o monsoon festivals are fascinating as tne rituals around them are a passageway to ancient fertility rites and worship of the elements that are long forgotten. The Sao Joah (Saint John) feast is an interesting occassion in which the village folks jump into monsoon drenched wells. Goans explain the custom with a reference to St. John, the Baptist, leaping in his mother's womb when she met Mary, the mother of Jesus. You can see a number of makeshift rafts - sangodd - or boats adorned impressively floating on streams and rivers in some north Goans villages. aGoan tourism > Goa is rich in folk culture with a delightful blend of vigorous Konkani folk songs and remnants of Portuguese dance and music. Goa is best known for its spectacular beaches, but there are many old churches, monuments, temples and museums, that are a must see.Goa is very proud of the numerous churches dotted across this Indian state. Many of the Goa churches are outstanding and ideal cases of Christian architecture. Most of the churches colonial Portuguese cathedrals and are framed with columns and pilasters. aGoan beach: » Anjuna Beach, Goa » With its fluorescent painted pa : infamous full moon parties, ANJUNA, 5-KM West of Mapusa, is Goa at its most "alternative". Designer leather and lycra may have superseded cotton Kaftans, but most people's reasons for coming are the same as they were in the 1970s: dancing and lying on the beach slurping tropical fruit. While browsing in the area have a day trip to the famous flea market. aBaga Beach » Baga, 10-km west of Mapusa, is basically an extension of Calangute; even the locals are unable to decide where ends and the other begin. Lying in the lee of a rocky, wooded headland, the only difference between this far northern end of the beach and its more congested centre is that the scenery here is marginally more varied argu gigtunoc cue. a a Benaulim Beach —— » Only a decade ago, this fi: ing village, scattered around tne coconut groves and paddy fields between the main Colva-Mobor Road and the dunes, had barely made it onto the backpackers map. Now, the shady lane leading through it is studded with guesthouses and souvenir stalls while the paddy fields on the outskirts are gradually disappearing under a rash of gigantic luxury resorts and time-share apartment blocks. For the time being, however, this ferains a peaceful and welcoming place to unwind. aLanquage in goa » Goa boasts about a fusion of languages. Portuguese was widely spoken until Goa was liberated from the Portugal regime in 1961. In fact, the older generations can still speak Portuguese. However, the main languages spoken now in Goa are Konkani and Marathi. Marathi is widely taught in schools too. » Yet almost everyone in Goa can speak in English and Hindi. Thanks to its chequered history, Goa is a multi-lingual state. Having had people of various regions, ethnic races and religions from India and abroad settling in Goa, their language too has inflected accordingly. So, the total number of languages used in Goa are English, Portuguese, Konkani, Hindi. and Marathi. Konkani, however, is the official language of Goa. Konkani is written in the Devanagri script. The other main languages spoken in the state are Marathi, Kannad and Urdu. Gujarati and Hindi are also spoken by a considerable number of people in the state.Hotels in goa » Vivanta by Taj - Panaji, Goa is ideally located in the heart of the city. The hotel provides for easy access to the business & industrial belt of Goa, capital city of Panaji & Old Goa with its rich history. This new age hotel is 28 kilometers away from Dabolim airport, 4 kilometers from the Kadamba Transport Corporation Bus Terminus & only 12 kilomete ~- 423The Leela The Leela Goa is a blend of South India’s temples and Goa’s Portuguese heritage. Ina resolutely warm and modern style, all rooms are spacious and offer luxurious amenities and world class services.Goa & Goan Spices a Aamchur/Amchoor powder, sour (Mango powder) Achar (pickle) Ajmud (Celery seed) Ajmoda (Parsley) Ajwain (Carom seed) Amla (Indian gooseberry) Anardana (Pomegranate seed) Bazil (spice powder) Badam (Almond) Choti Elaichi (Green cardamom) Chakra Phool (Star anise) Chironji (charoli) or (Buchanania Latifolia), a type of nut used in making deserts. Camiki (mango extract) Dalchini (cinnamon) Dhania (Coriander seed) Dhania powder (Coriander powder) Elaichi (Cardamom) Garam Masala (Spice mixture)Kadipatta Curry Tree or Sweet Neem leaf Kaju Cashew nut Kala Namak or Sanchal Kali Mirch (Black peppercorn) Kalonji seed Kasoori Methi (Dried fenugreek leaf) Katira Gum (Gond Katira) or Tragacanth Gum. Kebab Cheeni Allspice Kesar Saffron Kesar miri miri Saffron pulp. Khajur Dates Kokum Garcinia indica Khus Khus Poppy seedPrepare Xacuti Masala » Ingredients : 1 kg coriander seeds % kg poppy seeds Ys kg turmeric pieces 750 gm fennel 100 gm fenugreek 100 gm mustard seeds 100 gm peppercorns 50 gm cumin seeds gm cloves . 0 gm cinnamon sticks gm mace gm dagdful . gm masala velchi gm cardamom nutmegs gm bay leaves em shahileera 101 15 20 10 20 50 10 10 10 750 gm small red chillies (ghaunti)Preparation : Roast all the spices separately except turmeric and coriander seeds. Crush the turmeric pieces roughly and roast along with coriander seeds. All these ingredients have to be roasted without oil on a broken earthen pot (koili). Mix all the ingredients together well. Take to the mill preferably while still hot, and get it powdered. Bring the powder home and let it cool. Put in a thick plastic bag and store it in an airtight container. How to use: . For any dish you want to prepare (whether chicken, beef, mushroom, mutton or channa) grate and roast one coconut and take thick and thin juice of another half a coconut. Add two to three tablespoons of above masala to the roasted coconut and grind to a fine paste. Saute your channa or meat with chopped onions in oil, ginger and garlic paste. Let it boil and add your masala along with the coconut juice. Avoid tamarind and vinegar in the cooking, but lime juice can be added to taste.Fod habits » The lifestyle of a society living in a particular region is influenced by nature and the environment and the same aspects also dominate the food habits. The mental attitude of a human being is developed on the basis of the food consumed. It also makes an impact on the overall behaviour. Across the ghat region the common person is accustomed to eating bhaakri of the grain known as the jwari or jondhala along with a mashed sauce of green chilli, such a person is normally hot tempered. Goans consume the peaj-liquid rice or aambil a ragi item along with aamli, a tender mango pressed with the salt which makes it even more tempting.» The cultural significance of food has two reasons ie for consumption and another as an offering to God. In food habits, Goans are divided into two separate folds first ‘eating for living’ and the other ‘living for eating’. A general statement could be made that the division of the Goan population according to the two folds has a percentage of 65 and 35 respectively. Normally the toiling masses ‘eats for living’ and others are more interested in the taste and variety of the dishes. aStaple Food of Goa » Staple Food of Goa is seafood, fru F shrimp, mussels, oysters, crabs, 5 more. Goan restaurants also offer chourisso (pi pig liver cooked in vinegar with tamarind) & vindalho (spicy pork). Goans use coconut sauces. Here is also the best of Indian beers and wines (port, the most delicious). If you are eating in a group of locals in a village cafe or roadside dhaba (food stall), chances are that they throw in a bunch of fish curry and rice. Staple food of Goa, eaten two times in a day by the majority of the people consists of running a red hot chili sauce with dried fish or shrimp, served with a pile of fluffy white rice, fried sardines and a few small drops of a cucumber flavor.Sea foods » Goa is known for seafood, the "classic" food is fish curry and rice. To offer the variety and scope, but with the skills of local chefs, there is a delicious choice. Kingfisher is probably the most common element in the menu, but there are many others like pomfret, Doumer, shark, tuna and mackerel. Among the excellent seafood available crabs, prawns, shrimp1s and lobsters » 1 Prawn Balchao 2. Ambot Tik 3. Crab Curry 4. Bacalhau 5. Shark Ambo Tikmeats » Sorpotel is one of the most made from pork, liver, heat ‘ and diced all cooked in a thick and very spicy sauce with Feni favored. Sorpotel how balchao, keeps for several days, and actually tastes better than when warmed up for three fifty- seven days before the left. Xacuti is a traditional way of preparing meat, usually chicken, boiling coconut milk and add grated coconut and a variety of spices. The result is a mild curry, but with a distinctive and delicious flavor.Breads » Bakers make regular roundup in each village in Goa, pushing bicycles laden with fresh bread and either call or honk a horn in the steering wheel so that the villagers know they arrived. There are several types of local bread. Uned as small round crispy bread, usually served fresh from the bakery and an ideal alternative to rice eating, say, a sorpotel. Particularly famous and unique in Goa Sanna, rolls with rice flour, coconut and coconut is ground grog, which is ideal to be one of the spicy Goan cuisine to be eaten steamed. aSWEETS » The most famous desserts bebinca of Goa is a wonderful blend of coconut pancakes together. Cooking the perfect bebinca is an art form, because not a have the cooking time must be to ensure that all layers of cooked immediately, it will put inches on your waistline if you develop a taste, but will not be missed. Dodol is another famous Goan sweet, traditionally eaten at Christmas, and comes with rice flour, coconut milk, jaggery and cashew nuts. It is usually cooled in a shallow pan and cut into slices and served very sweet. Doce, with chickpeas and coconut is another favorite. aDRINKS » There are two types of Feni 4 local ingredients. Coconut @mpe made from the sap from the cut stems ina coconut palm. In Goa this is known as toddy, and the men who collect toddy taper known. Toddy tappers at work are a common sight, he leaned into the tree crowns of palm trees, cut the terracotta pot filled with creamy juices to collect, then the shoots to further facilitate the collection. Behold, a new ink over the top, and climb the tree next move. Toddy the whole year can be harvested, palm Feni is in abundance at any time. aCONCLUSION » Goan cuisine is really palatable satisfying the gluttony of anyone, especially a gourmet or connoisseur. If you belong to the above category and you are making a trip to Goa, then you have made the right choice. The cuisine in Goa is a perfect blend of diverse food cultures - the Konkan, the Portuguese and the Bahamani Nawabi traditions. When you travel to Goa, you will find Goan food is simple but also very hot and spicy. aReferance »>www.goan cusine.com >www.answer.com > www.wikipedia.org a