The experience of soaking up the sun on holiday feels different and refreshing, especially if it is by the beach. The sea and sand aside, food and drink play a key role in elevating the experience of a vacation like no other – and if there’s anything that’s testament to this, it is Goa’s beach shacks. Offering up a diverse variety of seafood – deep-fried, tossed in garlic butter or treated the local way with a crisp crusting of rava, these delicious snacks become an integral aspect of the ‘shack experience’. A style of preparation that is native to parts of the Konkan coast and Mangalore, the process of rava frying an ingredient – typically seafood in most cases – involves creating a simple base marination using turmeric and chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste and salt. Following this, the ingredient is coated generously in seasoned semolina before it is shallow fried in hot oil, until a crust forms on the outside.
Kelyachyo Fodi
In the array of rava-fried preparations, this rare vegetarian counterpart involves thinly slicing raw banana and treating it in the same way as one would, any type of seafood. Eaten most often as a replacement for fried fish during the month of Shravan, the kelyacho fodi is enjoyed as a snack or an accompaniment to rice and curry.
Ghosalem Fodi
While one wouldn’t typically associate ridge gourd to be a vehicle for rava frying, this vegetarian staple has a slightly sweet taste and juicy texture upon cooking. The contrast between soft slices of ridge gourd with a crispy crust on the outside make this an enjoyable accompaniment to have on days when you’re not in the mood for seafood or meat. The ghosalem fodi is also a phenomenal vegan option for anyone with dietary restrictions or seafood allergies.
Prawn Rava Fry
Considered to be one of the most popular shack snacks, think fresh, juicy prawns, coated with the standard rava fry ingredients. For anyone who wants to relish the full extent of this delicacy, opt for prawns with their heads intact, to get the full impact of flavour and the whiff of the ocean on your tastebuds.
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Chonak Rava Fry
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A local variety of fish – known as chonak – or barramundi, the Asian sea bass coated with rava is a common feature on a traditional Goan fish thali. Served alongside rice, curry, sol kadhi and prawn pickle, the chonak has a mild fishy flavour that perfectly complements the diverse flavours of other delicacies. On cooking, the flesh of the chonak also firms up, making it ideal for the rava to hold its own throughout.
Muddoshi Rava Fry
A variety of freshwater fish, the muddoshi or ladyfish is a widely consumed type of seafood within Goan homes. Used most often to make curries or humman – as it is also known, the muddoshi has an almost neutral taste, which serves as a vehicle for strong flavours to be added. Some native preparations of this rava fry also use black pepper or crushed walnuts to crust the fish for extra crunchiness.
Crab Rava Fry
Best enjoyed with soft shell crabs, the spicy-savoury semolina crust is ideal to juxtapose with the tender sweetness of crab meat. Elevate the taste of your crab rava fry with a generous squeeze of lime juice, and paired with a fresh salad of shredded cabbage, sliced onions and tomatoes to give it an authentic shack feel, when recreating it at home.