From the moment I received news of my Fulbright grant, I was so excited thinking of all the amazing food I would get to eat in the next year. India's diversity spans across all aspects from religion and language to cusine. So, despite the fact that I had previously spent 10 months living in New Delhi, I knew that adjusting to the local taste in Goa would be an entirely new experience.
Each state in India has its own unique cuisine, and each is famous for different reasons. For example, Rajasthan is known for having a lot of ghee in the dishes, whereas Gujarati food is notably sweet! Hyderabad is synonymous with biryani, and people often associate Mumbai with street food.
Seafood in Goa is very common due to its location on the Arabian Sea. Some of the most common fish I see offered at restaurants are mackerel (bangda), kingfish (visvan), and seabass (chonak). Often, the fish is prepared in a rava fry and served with rice. The gravy that accompanies these dishes often gives the meal a strong coconut flavor.
Local bakeries offer both sweet and savory pastries. People come from all over India to try these famous bites. The classic story of "pav" (a fluffy type of bread) coming over to Goa is that Portuguese missionaries brought it with them during their colonial conquest.
