This evening offers a chance to enjoy a meal of an Indian-Mediterranean fusion cuisine that was 400 years in the making.

The food of the tiny Indian state of Goa has a distinct Mediterranean twist thanks to centuries of Portuguese colonial rule. It's the only place in the subcontinent where wine is used in cooking and pork is widely consumed, and unlike everywhere else in South India, beef is popular. Some dishes invented in Goa, like vindaloo sauce, have been adopted by chefs in other regions, but Goans make them differently from anyone else. This evening you will enjoy a multi-course meal of authentic Goan food hosted by restaurateur Addi deCosta, a native of Goa, and culinary historian Richard Foss. Addi will explain the history and culture of this Indian state, and how Christianity enabled them to cook without the dietary restrictions of their Hindu and Muslim countrymen.

The menu is as follows:

Appetizers: Chicken Samosas, Beef Croquettes, Potato chops ( mashed potatoes patty stuffed with ground beef), served with chutneys.

Main items: Mixed vegetable Caldine ( mixed veggies in coconut curry sauce), Chicken Xacutti ( chicken braised with roasted ground spices ), Lamb Vindaloo ( lamb in a sweet and sour hot hot curry ), and Shrimp Masala ( shrimp cooked in a traditional coastal curry in mild spices. Served with Basmati rice pilaf and Naan bread.

Dessert: Fresh carrot pudding.

Lassi will be served, and wine and beer will be available.

Note: We have asked Addi to have all dishes spiced exactly as he would make them for an Indian family, so when you see the vindaloo described as hot, believe it! Not all dishes are peppery, but all are very flavorful and richly seasoned.

This dinner is organized as part of The Thoughtful Feast series as a benefit for Collage: A Place for Art & Culture, a nonprofit arts center that hosts concerts and art events. Collage donates musical instruments to graduating high school music students and gives them a place to practice with adult mentors, as well as other programs to benefit the community. For more information about Collage, see collageartculture.org

A Dutch map of the Portuguese setlement in Goa from the 1500's.