Goa sausage facts for kids
The Goa sausage or Choris is a special kind of sausage from Goa, a region in India. It shows how Portuguese and Indian cooking styles mixed together. This sausage is based on the Chouriço sausage, which came from Portugal. Because Goa is very humid, it was hard to make European-style sausages that would last. So, people started pickling the meat in vinegar, alcohol, and a mix of chili and spices. Then, they put it into pig intestines. The Goan sausage is similar to the Spanish Chorizo, and both use a process called pimenton for their flavor.
How Goa Sausage is Made
To make Goa sausage, large pieces of pork without bones are cut or chopped. These pieces are then heavily salted. The chopped meat dries in the sun for one or two days. After that, a mix of spices, ground hot chili peppers, palm vinegar, and a local drink called Feni is added. The seasoned meat is then put into casings. Finally, the sausages are dried again in the sun or slowly smoked.
Goa sausage is often served in a curry. It can also be boiled or fried. People usually eat it with white rice or baked potatoes. Sometimes, a boiled egg is added too. Simple slices of sausage can also be boiled with onion and vinegar.
Traditionally, these sausages are made during the dry season, from about December to March. People eat more of them during the monsoon or wet season, when it's harder to find fresh fish.
How Goa Sausage is Eaten
Goa sausage is a very popular food. You can find it everywhere, from street food carts to fancy restaurants. It is used in sandwiches, stews, and as fillings in breads. It can also be added to soups or eaten by itself with rice.
Choris-Pão or sausage buns are very common snacks. For Choris-Pão, the sausages are chopped, sometimes with onions and a little curry. This mix is then put inside a Poi, which is a local bun. The Poi is chewier than the Pav, a bun found in western India. Choris-Pão is a popular fast food sold by vendors during religious fairs or in cafés. It's a special snack bought and eaten during the Feast of Saint Francis Xavier in Old Goa. Sausage buns are a newer way to eat choris-a. Here, the sausage is baked right into the bun. You can find these at most cafés and restaurants.
Sometimes, minced sausages are also stuffed and fried between layers of parathas and naans. Even though these flatbreads are not originally from Goa, you often see dishes with them on restaurant menus there.
In Goan homes, sausages are also crumbled or cut and added to curries, stews, and chilly fry. Chilly fry is a dish of vegetables and meat, usually beef, cooked together. Sausages are also put into pulão or pulav to add flavor and protein.
See also
In Spanish: Chorizo de Goa para niños
