By Jasmine Kaur
When in Goa for Christmas, you’ll find the streets covered with festive décor, houses lit up and the Christmas tree standing tall in a corner. Wait till you try their special sweetmeats.
Another word for sawdust in Portuguese, serradura is a thick pudding made with crushed marie biscuits, paired with coconut milk, sugar and chocolate shavings.
Small, bite-sized, jelly-like treats, dodol is a rich dark pudding that is made with coconut milk and palm jaggery. It acquires the distinct colour because it is cooked on wood fire.
Bebinca is a classic Goan sweet meat that is made with several sticky layers stacked together and is made with loads of ghee, coconut milk maida and sugar.
If you haven’t tried the Goan baath cake, you definitely should. The soft and moist texture of the cake is well-complemented by the coconut shavings inside.
Crispy small curls are deep-fried and served hot during Christmas. These are known as kulkuls or kidiyos and are an essential part of the festive celebrations in Goa.