Goan Recheado Fish Fry

 

          Recheado Fish fry is a classic Goan dish where Pomfret, Mackerel, King fish or any seafood is marinated or stuffed with a masala paste and then shallow fried. This particular spice is called Recheado that is both fiery and tangy. It is basically a red chili paste that is full of flavours. 

          You can also coat the fish with semolina and fry to get a crisp exterior. Enjoy as it is, with any chutney of your choice, with salad or with plain biryani / pulao / jeera rice. So check out a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

          The word Recheado is a Portuguese word meaning stuffed, as it is typically used as a stuffing or to marinate fish. 

          However, this paste is very versatile as it can also be used to marinate chicken, mutton, prawns or mushrooms / paneer for a veg. version. It turns out very yummy. 

          Hence, this spice paste is a must have in your refrigerator as it is quite handy when you need to dish out something quick. 

            The two main ingredients that make up the Recheado paste are kashmiri red chilies and vinegar. Water is not used in this recipe and the grinding is done by adding vinegar accordingly. If you wish to tone down the spiciness, them deseed the chilies before grinding. 

            Typically, Goan vinegar and Feni are used to make the paste, but I had to skip them as they were unavailable. The onion is generally roasted on an open flame. However, fried or sautéed onion, too, can be substituted.

• 1-2 King fish fillet, washed & drained
• Recheado masala (recipe given below)
• 2-3 tbsp. oil

          Marinate the fish fillet with the spice paste for 5-6 hours or preferably overnight. 

          Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the marinated fish on both sides till well browned. 

          Serve as it is, with any chutney of your choice, with salad or with plain biryani / pulao / jeera rice.

             Marinate the fish fillet with the spice paste for 5-6 hours or preferably overnight. 

         Heat oil in a pan & shallow fry the marinated fish on both sides till well browned. 

             Serve as it is, with any chutney, with salad or with plain biryani / pulao / jeera rice.

Recheado Masala - 

• 5-6 Kashmiri red chilies, broken into small pieces
• 1 small onion, roasted on an open flame
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 1/2" ginger
• 1/4 tsp. whole peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 4-5 cloves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. tamarind paste
• 1/3 cup vinegar or as required

          Soak all the mentioned ingredients in vinegar for an hour. Then grind in a mixer grinder into a smooth paste. (Do not add any water).