Goan Food and Churches

My staple diet on this trip: anise seed covered in sugar. Luckily, my friends didn't care for it so within a day and a half, I downed the whole bag. It is good for digestion and adds an extra ring of cellulite on the thighs, why would you ever refuse?

The food is slightly different in Goa than most of India. Like the rest of Goa, it is Mediterranean/Indian fusion, with plenty of seafood and spices. I had the tastiest naan (butter, garic, and cheese-the guiltiest pleasure ever) and butter chicken I have ever had in my life in Goa.

Fresh catches for the day. I wanted it ALL. There is nothing like watching the creature move only 10 minutes before it makes it to your table. Dee-ish.

Various hunks of sugar. The black chunks are molasses sugar. I found a small sample while walking around the market. I bushed off the bug that was crawling on it and took a bite. Sooo yummy.

A heap of chilli. We bought vanilla beans from the owner of this chilli mountain. 100 beans for 20 bucks. I don't know what to do with it, but all my culinary friends had a plethora of fancy ideas. We can't buy vanilla extract in Doha because of the high alcohol content (alcohol is strictly prohibited here). Guess what I used in my coconut cookies yesterday? I am sure it is blasphemous to those who know the true value of a vanilla bean, but the cookies were extra tasty.

A happy visual

We ate at a traditional Goan Restaurant one evening. It was magical. We put on smokey eyes and were serenaded by some instrumentals. The atmosphere was as good as the food and the only thing it lacked was a Jason Mraz song, which we fruitlessly requested.

To make you drool...

The other appeal of Goa are the Catholic churches. It is strange to be in India where Christianity is so strong. Truthfully, I missed the strong Hinduism vibe there, but I was able to find a few temples to feel like home. Nothing like a good Kali idol to bring peace to your heart.

There were definitely fewer temples than there were churches.

Old Goa Church is one of the older churches that houses the remains of the famous St. Francis Xavier. St. Xavier was sent to Goa by the Portuguese king and it is believed that he converted over 30,000 Goans in the 1500s. You can't see much but Xavier's skull from where we stood. I saw some red, and some brown, and grey linen. Care for me to go into more detail? I could if you want.

I don't care much for the canonized remains, but the structure itself was impressive. It all adds to the Goan charm. It isn't as spicy as the food, but unique and interesting just the same.