Not Just Vindaloo by the Bay

Goan food is a beautiful and complex blend of influences and dishes, which go beyond the stereotypes xacuti, vindaloo and cafreal

- JOANNA LOBO

Vibrant, like the setting sun, speckled with mustard seeds and fragrant with the aroma of coconut, the ambadyache sasav/ross is a revelation, a sweet and sour mixture of coconut, hog plum and mustard seeds. It is easily one of the most interesting dishes in the Goan culinary repertoire—often broadly categorised into Goan Hindu and Goan Catholic; the latter bearing more of a Portuguese influence in terms of ingredients and cooking techniques. The food of Goa's Hindu community reflects the state's deep and rich history, traditional methods of cooking and an emphasis on eating local and seasonal food. Today, the Gaud Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) community's food is used as a catch-all for Goan Hindu food. But the Goa of today is digging deeper into her roots and is eager to share her food, beyond the stereotypes.