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Goan Cuisine : The Best of Goan Sweets and Desserts

by: Ishika

Goan cuisine is a wonderful mix of various cultures and is a blend of varied influences. The cooking techniques, style and recipes is a perfect mixture of Christian, Hindu and Portuguese community. It is because of this cultural mix that has gifted Goa the culinary wonders and some great delightful dishes. The ever popular cuisine includes pork vindaloo, Fish Recheado, Fish curry, Prawn Balchão, Sorpotel, Chouricos, Chicken Cafreal, Chicken Xacuti and some of the delicious sweet dishes like Dodol, Bebinca etc.

Below is the list of the Best Goan Sweet Dishes:

Perad, Guava Jam or Cheese
Ingredients:

1 Kilo Guava Pulp

800 Grams Sugar

1 Sour Lime

1 Tablespoon Butter

Method:

Boil the Guavas after removing the the black patches on the skin, spoiled parts perhaps and the ends of it, after washing them thoroughly.

Slice the guavas straight through the center so that it becomes easier for you to remove the seeds from the center of the fruit.

Once you remove the seeds from the center do not get rid of them but collect them separately in another container.

Once you have removed the seeds from the center of the Guava you need to to liquidize the good parts of the guava by putting them in a Mixer.

Blend it till it becomes puree

Once your Puree is ready pour it out into a sieve or a muslin cloth so that you can filter out all the seed remains.

You will have to do the same with the pulp and the seeds that you removed from the guavas earlier, blend it just for a minute in the mixer and then strain it.

Once your done with the sieving you can place it on the fire.

Now comes the work, the most important part of making this dish is that you should not allow the bottom of the puree to get burnt. This means you will have to continuously stir the dish at occasions especially when it begins to boil.

The best thing to do is to keep the puree on a slow burner and on low flame, it will take a good amount of time but patience always pays.

Its time to add the sugar, which is done soon after you put the Puree on the fire, now keep stirring.

The color of the mixture will begin to change in a couple of hours, from off white it will now start turning a little orange and then to slighter. Add the juice of the sour lime now and keep stirring.

When it is turned a little light red /brown color, remove it from flame and can part of it to be used as Jam.

Keep the rest of the mixture again on low flame and keep stirring untill it turns dark red.

Pour the Mixture on an oiled / greased baking tray. Keep it aside and let cool.

There you go the perad is ready to be consumed, it would require couple of hours to cool. Then slice and dice as per choice and relish another Goan delicacy.

Image credit: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_aI1pWh3nDe0/SDwS-VTKrWI/AAAAAAAAAyc/I_4rFKvnL10/s400/guava_ticholo.JPG

Bebinca : The Layered Goan Pudding
Ingredients:

250 gms plain flour

700 ml coconut milk

2 cups sugar

2 dozen egg yolks

1 1/2 cups ghee (clarified butter)

Almond slivers to garnish

Method:

Mix the coconut milk and sugar together and stir till the sugar is completely dissolved.

In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks till creamy.

Add the coconut milk and mix well.

Add all the flour to this, a little at a time, making sure that no lumps are left.

Pre-heat your grill.

Put a tablespoonful of ghee in a baking pan (any shape) at least 6" deep. Put this pan under the grill till the ghee melts.

Take it out from under the grill and pour some of the prepared batter into it to form a 1/4" thick layer. Put back under the grill and cook till the top is golden. Monitor frequently.

Remove from under the grill and immediately add another tablespoonful of ghee on the previous layer. It will melt.

Now pour another layer of batter of the same thickness as the previous one. Cook under the grill till golden.

Keep repeating the layering process till all the batter is used up.

The last layer must be ghee. When it is done, turn the Bebinca over on a flat dish and garnish with almond slivers.

Cut into slices and serve warm or cool.

Image credit: http://www.foodmall.org/images/bebinca_4717.jpg

Doce:
Ingredients:

1 kg channa dal

2 kgs sugar

7 coconuts &

200 gm ghee

Method:

Boil the channa dal till well done.

Grate the coconuts and grind to a fine paste.

Similarly grind the boiled channa dal to a fine paste.

Mix the ground coconut, sugar and channa dal well.

Keep on slow fire and keep stirring continuously with a spatula or flat wooden spoon.

After half and hour of stirring add the ghee.

Continue stirring till the mixture begins to harden and starts leaving the sides of the pan.

Spread some ghee on a wooden board and roll the mixture out while still hot.

Keep for about ten minutes and then cut into squares or diamond shape.

Image credit: http://www.mircho-go.com/CoconutDoce.jpg

Dodol:
Ingredients:

250 gms raw rice

4 cups coconut

grated 375 gms coconut molasses (jaggery)

½ cup cashew nuts/Peanuts chopped coarsely &

1 tablespoon butter

Method:

Wash and soak rice overnight.

Next morning grind fine in a blender/grinder and keep aside.

Extract 3 cups thick coconut milk from the grated coconut.

Mix the coconut milk with the rest of the ingredients until well combined in a deep pan, on medium heat, stir cook the Dodol continuously, till it is reduced to half its quantity and starts leaving the sides of the pan.