GOAN PRAWN BALCHAO
CURRY
Prawn Balchao
is a spicy and extremely flavorful Goan seafood preparation. It is often prepared using fish, prawns or
pork.
As
we all know Goan cooking is influenced by Portuguese cooking. Balchao was introduced in India by Catholic
Portuguese. In Portuguese cuisine it is known
as ‘Balichao’. The main ingredient in this preparation is
coconut or cane vinegar but since availability of these two is not easy we can
use white vinegar. It is a pickle like
preparation and can be preserved in by adding in more oil to the pickle. Do not add water for pickle preparation. Try to consume balchao within 45 days of
preparation.
Prawn
balchao was in my bucket list for a longest time I remember. Finally today was the day when I decided to
prepare ‘prawn balchao’. Instead for preparing it as pickle, I
prepared it like a prawn curry to have it with white rice for dinner.
Try
this recipe and I am sure you will impress your family and friends with this Portuguese
Goan delicacy.
Preparation
Time :
45 minutes
Cooking
Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 4
Ingredients:
500 gms prawns
2 medium sized
onions finely chopped
1tsp chopped
garlic
1tsp sugar
2tbsp oil
1 cup water
For Balchao Masala:
10 to
12 Kashmiri red chillies
1/4th
cup vinegar (sirca)
1
whole garlic or 10 -12 cloves of garlic (Lehsun)
1tsp Cumin
seeds (jeera)
1tsp
mustard seeds (optional)
½tsp turmeric
powder (haldi)
5
cloves (laung)
2”
piece of cinnamon stick (dalchini)
4-5
black peppercorns
2tsp
tamarind piece (Imli)
Salt
to taste
Preparation:
For Balchao Paste
Soak Kashmiri red chillis
in the vinegar for 30 minutes.
Dry roast cloves, cinnamon
stick and black peppercorns.
Grind soaked Kashmiri red
chillis, garlic, tamarind paste, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, black peppercorns,
cinnamon stick, cloves, turmeric powder and salt to a smooth paste.
Method:
Heat oil in a pan and sauté
prawns for 2 minutes and keep them aside.
Fry chopped onions and garlic
until brown in the same oil to retain the flavor.
Add the balchao paste and
cook well for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add water and adjust the
consistency of the gravy to your liking and cook till oil floats on top the
gravy.
Add little sugar to balance
the acidity of the gravy.
Now add the sautéed prawns
and continue to cook for another 5minutes or till the prawns are done (Do not
overcook prawns as they turn rubbery).
Serve hot with white rice.
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