Goan Rechado Masala

Goa is famous for its seafood, the ‘classic’ dish being Goan fish curry and rice. Apart from a Curry preparation fish is also fried and sometimes picked. Kingfish is probably the most common item, on the menu, but pomfret, doumer, shark, tuna and mackerel are hot favourites as well. Among the excellent shellfish available are crabs, prawns, tiger prawns and lobster. Other seafood includes squid and mussels. Goa’s luscious coconut and fish based dishes draw in people from all over the world.

Recheado means stuffed in Portuguese and in this recipe, a fresh whole fish, usually a mackerel or pomfret, is slit down the center and stuffed with a spicy red paste, after which it is shallow fried. Mackerel Recheado is one of Goa’s most famous dishes. Other fish can be used is well. The fiery-red Recheado masala made of kashmiri red chilies, garlic, cumin, peppercorns and tamarind is ground into a smooth but thick paste using vinegar. It is very versatile and can be used to prepare many other Goan seafood dishes. The Recheado masala can be made and stored in an airtight container for months as the vinegar in it acts as a preservative.

Goan Rechado Masala

Ingredients

• 10 Kashmiri Chillies (discard stalks & seeds)
• 4 Peppercorns
• 6 Cloves
• ½ inch Cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp Sugar
• ¼ tsp. Tamarind Paste
• ½ tsp. Cumin Seeds
• ½ inch fresh Ginger
• 10 cloves Garlic
• ¼ cup Sugarcane Vinegar
• Salt to taste

To prepare Goan Rechado Masala Paste:

Break the chillies into small pieces. Soak in vinegar chillies, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon stick, sugar, tamarind paste, cumin seeds, ginger, garlic & salt for 20 mins.

Grind in a blender/grinder to a fine, thick paste without using any water. Store in a clean sterilized bottle. Use as required