Gifts From The Sunshine State: Five Snack Souvenirs To Bring Home From Goa

The joys of Goa include everything from the freshest seafood and spicy preparations with beef and pork, to mopping it up with rustic locally-made bread called pao or poee, to tasting a bit of coconut in everything - grated, in curry pastes, and in desserts too!

Goa's culinary scene holds more than the divine promise of platefuls of the freshest catch from the sea. Sure, get your fill of fish-curry-rice from roadside eateries and local brews in buzzing little tavernas, but also stop by a grocery store to stock up on the state's best souvenirs-of the edible kind. Here are some of the snacks we highly recommend for you to take home after your trip to Goa.

Chouriço

Also called Goa sausages or chorizo locally. Available in strings of round, bead-like sausages and according to www.pastemagazine.com, they're also commonly called rosary sausages. It has a rich earthy red colour, they're spiced with ginger, garlic, red chillies, cinnamon and cumin that lend an intense, deep flavor.

Bebinca

Loaded with egg yolks, coconut milk, and sugar, it's easy to identify this decadent Portuguese-inspired dessert because of its layers. A bebinca can have from seven to 17 (or more) layers-depending on the time and ingredients at hand. According to www.natgeotraveller.in, Simonia's bakery in Porvorim makes great bebinca and a block costs around ₹150.

Pao

Pop a few in the microwave for a short warm-up, and your quiet morning with coffee and fried eggs may as well be in Goa. Prices start from ₹2 per pao.

Solam

Derived from the dried peels of seasonal fruits like kokum or mango, solam (pronounced sola) packs a tart punch. The fruit peels are soaked in the fruit's juice, salted, and dried in the sun.

Feni

Classified a country liquor, it is brewed from either coconuts or cashew apples, but only produced, bottled and widely sold within Goa.

These foods will surely make you fall in love with Goa over and over again.