The intermingling of Arabian, Portuguese and native cultures are reflected in the cuisine of Goa, which is a unique blend of richness and simplicity - the constantly recurring notes being struck by the fish and the coconut.
The best of both worlds has been absorbed and knit into a culture very distinctly different from that of any other part of India. This is reflected in its cuisine.
In the villages, food is generally cooked on wood fires in clay pots even today
Fresh coconut, in one form or the other, is added or grated, ground fine into a paste or in the form of milk, extracted from the flesh of the fresh coconut.
For most Goan fish and meat dishes, red dried chillies are used. The Goan native chilli is large and pungent. It gives red colour to the cooking without the fierce pungency of the normal Indian chilli. This red dried chilli forms the major ingredient for the ground spices in most fish and meat dishes.