Balchao Goan Style Recipes

Steps:

• Put the prawns in a large bowl and sprinkle salt on them. Keep aside.
• Roast the chillies, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, peppercorns, turmeric, cloves and cinnamon till they begin to release their aroma.
• Remove from heat and cool.
• Grind the ginger, garlic and roasted spices into a smooth paste using the vinegar.
• Heat the oil on a medium flame in a wok-style pan to medium-high heat.
• Add the prawns and stir fry till opaque. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
• In the same pan, fry the onions till light brown. Add the tomato and curry leaves and fry until the tomatoes are soft.
• Now add the spice-vinegar paste, sugar and salt to taste and fry till the oil begins to separate.
• Add the prawns to this sauce, mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Serve with plain boiled rice and/or naan.

Steps:

• Pour the vinegar into a blender jar, and then add all the remaining ingredients. Puree, scraping the inside of the jar as needed, until it forms a highly pungent, reddish-brown paste.
• Store the mixture in a tightly sealed nonreactive container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Steps:

• Put the shrimp in a large bowl and sprinkle salt on them. Set aside.
• Roast the dry red chillies, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, cloves and cinnamon till they begin to release their aroma. Take off the fire and cool.
• Grind or blend the ginger, garlic and roasted spices into a smooth paste using the vinegar.
• Heat the oil on a medium heat in a wok style pan or frying pan. Add the shrimp and stir fry till opaque (1-2 min). Remove from the pan and set aside.
• In the same pan, fry the onions till light brown (8-10 min). Add the tomato and fry till soft.
• Add the spice-vinegar paste, sugar and salt to taste and fry till the oil begins to separate from the masala.
• Add the shrimp to this masala, mix well and cook for 3 minutes.
• Serve with piping hot, plain boiled rice.