Goa Guide: Patoleo to Payas - 5 Festive Foods You Will Not Find On Regular Menu, Beyond Bebinca

Explore five traditional festive foods, from Goan patoleo and nevri to panchakajjaya, payas and puran poli, and discover the cultural traditions behind these sweet preparations.

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Goan Festive Sweet

Goa's cuisine culture is not limited only to seafood, vindaloo and bebinca. In the times of Hindu festivals and family celebrations, traditional kitchens of Goa serve sweets and offerings that are unique to the region and based on its food culture.

This season of Navratri and Durga Puja, here are five festive foods and their traditional preparations worth exploring.

1. Patoleo - Sweet Rice Cakes With Turmeric Leaves

Patoleo, also known as patoli, are rice flour pancakes that are made with grated coconut and jaggery. The preparation is done by spreading the rice flour mixture onto turmeric leaves, adding sweet filling to it and then steam-cooking them.

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2. Nevri - Traditional Festive Sweet

Nevri is crescent-shaped pastry stuffed with a sweet filling consisting of any combination of coconut, jaggery, cardamom, nuts, and raisins. This pastry is then fried until it becomes crisp and golden brown.

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3. Panchakajjaya - A Traditional Sweet Offering

Panchakajjaya is a traditional sweet offering made as a part of some Hindu worship customs. Recipes differ depending on the region but include such basic pantry items as grated coconut, jaggery, sesame seeds, and roasted gram/lentil.

The use of common household ingredients allows one to consider it a typical preparation in certain religious ceremonies of Hindus.

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4. Payas - Festive Dessert For Religious Celebrations

Payas or Payasam is an Indian dessert made using various components like rice, milk, sugar or jaggery. Some recipes use coconut milk along with nuts and cardamom.

Such sweet dishes as payas are usually eaten at religious rituals, family dinners and festive feasts among Indian communities.

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5. Puran Poli - A Sweet Dish for Festive Feasts

Puran poli is a sweet dish that includes dough with a filling of boiled lentils with jaggery, flavored with cardamom. The stuffed dough is rolled out and cooked on a heated pan.

It is typical for Hindu festivals celebrated in different parts of India. Although puran poli is not typical for Goa, it can serve as a representative of the festive sweets.