Best Chicken Xacuti in Goa?

CALANGUTE, GOA: Before we elaborate and tell you about the best chicken xacuti in Goa, in terms of authenticity, combination of spices and traditional cooking technique, we must point out that the age-old original Goan xacutti gravy recipe – a thick curry prepared with complex spicing, including white poppy seeds, sliced, diced or grated coconut (either dry or wet or both) and large dried red (spicy) chilies has been adapted, modified, diluted and even vitiated over the years, primarily due to the skyrocketing prices of raw materials including spices, non-availability of ingredients in certain places and the extensive time taken to put it all together.

Now, having said this, let us introduce you to the the chicken xacuti at Souza Lobo, Calangute – the iconic culinary institution right on the Calangute beachfront, which in our opinion is the best – in terms of being authentically Goan and using traditional recipes and methods to bring it all together on your plate, fresh and steaming hot.

The chicken xacutti at Souza Lobo is a little darker and even thicker in appearance and texture as compared to other places. This is because all the spices and other masala ingredients are roasted for a longer period of time.

Also, the coconut and chillies used in the xacuti masala or masala paste preparation play a major role in the eventual colour of the dish.

The grinding of the spices and grated coconut is also important and traditional Goan village cooks or randpis suggest that the grinding technique and eventual thickness of the powder/paste will define its taste and flavour.

The chicken meat, including the age, breed and cuts of the fowl also plays a very important role in the over all taste of the xacuti dish (also true for chicken cafreal). That is why many local Goan chefs prefer to use organically bred country, desi or gavthi chicken while preparing chicken xacuti for its arguably better taste, flavour, meat texture and softness.

Each taluka in Goa has its own version of the xacutti masala paste. For example in Pernem (Northern region of Goa, bordering Maharashtra), the paste is spicier and pungent, and a bit reddish in colour. They use a lot of peppercorns which are ground and roasted into a thick gravy, and fried with onions, followed by the addition of meat or vegetables.

In Pernem, they also use chillies native to the region known as Harmal chillies. It is the use of these chillies that give the Pernem xacuti or Shagoti the reddish tinge and spicy pungent taste, compared to the xacuti in South Goa or the Salcete region, which uses more grated (dry or wet) coconut as compared to the North.

Traditionally, according to xacuti aficionados, 18 types of spices were used to make the xacuti paste. They were pounded and then sautéed with onions and tomatoes. With the prices of spices shooting through the roof and the lack of availability of some items, most people drop out a few items, resulting in changes in the flavour and taste of the dish and in the bargain often diluting the real thing.

Coming back to the xacuti at the Souza Lobo restaurant – which we definitely vouch for and vote as the best in Goa, the flavour, aroma and taste differs in the materials used.

For example, crab xacuti would taste different from chicken xacuti and mutton xacuti would taste differently when compared to calamari or squid xacuti.

“At Souza Lobo, we do the authentic, traditional xacutti gravy, but then there are diners who want it either spicier or less spicy and we accordingly modify the gravy, but our original xacutti gravy is an age-old traditional recipe using more than 30 different ingredients, making it exclusive to our restaurant,” explains the owner Jude Lobo.

The Souza Lobo restaurant serves a variety of xacutti dishes that include seafood and chicken. The masala and spices used, as well as the method of cooking, it all together still adheres to the century-old (or even older) original recipe, with a few minor changes depending on the diner’s preferences.

What we recommend: The Souza Lobo restaurant at Calangute is known across Goa (and India) for their fabulous flagship Recheado Pomfret, Recheado Prawns, Recheado King Prawns, Recheado Bangdo, Recheado Squids and the recently introduced experimental or fusion food – Recheado Prawn Parathas, Cafreal Kulchas, Sorpotel Naans and Crab Kulchas.

They also make the best (and authentic Goan) Chicken Xacuti (Read Here) as well as Crab Xacuti  (Read Here) in all of Goa.