The Portuguese left an indelible mark on the food of Goa. They introduced vinegar and the local Catholic converts realised it was better to cook meat — which was forbidden to them before conversion, forced or otherwise — the foreign way with vinegar, rather than continue cooking the Hindu way, perhaps the guilt was less.
Over time, the Portuguese way of cooking underwent subtle changes. From being predominantly herb-based, like most European cuisine, Indo-Portuguese cuisine became spice-based. A case in point is the chorizo sausage. Hindus started eating mushroom xacuti (pronounced sha-kuti), and the Portuguese started experimenting with coconut.
Chicken Vindalho
In England, where the dish is very popular, it is known as vindaloo. Originally made with pork, vindalho is a classic example of Goan-Portuguese cuisine made with vinegar and red chillies.
Ingredients
1 kg chicken cut into curry pieces
2 medium onions, finely chopped
10 dried red chillies
10 peppercorns
10 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger
8 cloves
1 inch cinnamon
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp sugar
½ cup vinegar
2 tbsp oil
2 cups water
Salt to taste
Method
Grind all the spices with a tablespoon or two of vinegar and add the sugar to it. Marinate the chicken with the ground spices for 2 hours. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and stir fry the chicken for five minutes before adding the chopped onions. Gradually add the rest of the vinegar and the water. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or till the chicken is done. Serve with rice or Goan pao.
Note: If using pork, marinate the meat for 3-4 hours and cook for around 30 minutes.
Mushroom Xacuti
Traditionally, this Goan staple is cooked with chicken, but one can use mushroom too.
Ingredients
700 gm button mushroom, washed and cut lengthwise
1 cup grated coconut
1 ½ tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
8 dried red chillies
1 tsp grated nutmeg
6 star aniseeds
2 tsp fennel seeds
2 large onions, finely chopped
6 green chillies, finely chopped
2 tbsp tamarind pulp soaked in ½ cup water
2 cups water
5 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Method
In a heavy-bottomed pan, brown the grated coconut and all the spices except the green chillies and the nutmeg over a medium flame. Stir for 3-5 minutes till the spices give out a strong heady aroma. Remove and grind the roasted spices in a grinder. Heat the oil in a pan and on medium heat sauté the ground spices with the green chillies and one of the onions. Add the mushroom, nutmeg and salt. Squeeze the water out of the tamarind pulp and add. Lower the heat and cook for 10 minutes without a lid, adding water to ensure that the curry does not become too dry. Remove once the oil rises to the top. Serve hot with rice or Goan pao.