The Goan cuisine is perhaps India’s most cosmopolitan cuisine and the reason lies in its strong Portuguese influence. The Portuguese rule over Goa is probably best seen in its rich cuisines. Even today many Goan dishes carry their Portuguese names. Although they have been adapted according to the local palate, their ancestry is quite obvious.
Spices and ingredients
The Portuguese bought with them many spices and ingredients that seem almost native today, so essential are they in Goan cuisine. These include chillies, potatoes and tomatoes –– some of the most basic ingredients of Goan cuisine. Another ingredient that the Portuguese gave Goans is the wine. This was substituted with vinegar as seen in vindaloo. Here the vin stands for vinegar that gives it that characteristic sour taste.
Other ingredients that came with the Portuguese includes guavas, pineapples and cashews.
Catholic Food
The Portuguese influence on Goan cuisine can mainly be seen in its Catholic food preparations. Many of these even carry names that have remained the same or have changed only slightly. For instance, xacuti, Cafreal, Caldeirada, Prawn Balchao, Racheido, Feijoada and vindaloo are all Portuguese origin. The Goans have also imbibed the love for porcine recipes from the Portuguese. Apart from preparations like vindaloo and sorpotel, the Goans also make the spicy pork sausage chorizo.
The sweet tooth
Then there are the sweets! Many traditional Goan sweets like dedos da dama, pasteis de natas, petas de freiras, pasteis de Santa Clara were introduced by the Portuguese. In many cases this interaction happened both ways. Arroz Doce, a rice pudding is Portuguese version of the humble kheer!
Changing of ways
Portuguese influence on Goa and the Indian cuisine has had a deeper impact than one realises. For instance, Indian food that is often taken synonymous with spicy food, uses more chilli than almost any other cuisine in the world. Yet, few people realise that the chilli came from the Portuguese. Today their legacy in Goa has resulted in one of the most cosmopolitan Indian cuisines with many European way of preparation. However, in typical Indian fashion, these have been adapted and become uniquely Indian!
Spices and ingredients
The Portuguese bought with them many spices and ingredients that seem almost native today, so essential are they in Goan cuisine. These include chillies, potatoes and tomatoes –– some of the most basic ingredients of Goan cuisine. Another ingredient that the Portuguese gave Goans is the wine. This was substituted with vinegar as seen in vindaloo. Here the vin stands for vinegar that gives it that characteristic sour taste.
Other ingredients that came with the Portuguese includes guavas, pineapples and cashews.
Catholic Food
The Portuguese influence on Goan cuisine can mainly be seen in its Catholic food preparations. Many of these even carry names that have remained the same or have changed only slightly. For instance, xacuti, Cafreal, Caldeirada, Prawn Balchao, Racheido, Feijoada and vindaloo are all Portuguese origin. The Goans have also imbibed the love for porcine recipes from the Portuguese. Apart from preparations like vindaloo and sorpotel, the Goans also make the spicy pork sausage chorizo.
The sweet tooth
Then there are the sweets! Many traditional Goan sweets like dedos da dama, pasteis de natas, petas de freiras, pasteis de Santa Clara were introduced by the Portuguese. In many cases this interaction happened both ways. Arroz Doce, a rice pudding is Portuguese version of the humble kheer!
Changing of ways
Portuguese influence on Goa and the Indian cuisine has had a deeper impact than one realises. For instance, Indian food that is often taken synonymous with spicy food, uses more chilli than almost any other cuisine in the world. Yet, few people realise that the chilli came from the Portuguese. Today their legacy in Goa has resulted in one of the most cosmopolitan Indian cuisines with many European way of preparation. However, in typical Indian fashion, these have been adapted and become uniquely Indian!
0 comments:
Post a Comment