Goan Prawn Balchão

Balchão is a preserve that Goan families made to keep prawns through the monsoon: fried prawns in a thick masala of red chillies, garlic, ginger and vinegar, with a little sugar.

Eat a spoonful with rice and dal, or as a side dish. It tastes best after a day in the fridge.

• Serves 4
• Prep 20 min
• Cook 25 min
• gluten-free · dairy-free · Spicy
• Famous in Goa

Ingredients

• 400 g small or medium prawns, shelled
• ½ tsp turmeric and ½ tsp salt
• Paste: 12 dried Kashmiri chillies, 4 hot dried chillies, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 8 peppercorns, 6 cloves, 3 cm cinnamon, 10 garlic cloves, 3 cm ginger, 120 ml coconut or cane vinegar
• 4 tbsp oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1–2 tsp sugar or jaggery
• Salt

Method

1. Soak the chillies in the vinegar for 20 minutes, then grind all paste ingredients until smooth.
2. Rub the prawns with turmeric and salt. Fry them in 1 tbsp oil for 2 minutes until just pink; set aside.
3. Heat the rest of the oil and fry the onions until deep golden, 10 minutes. Add the tomato and cook until soft.
4. Add the paste and fry on low-medium heat, stirring, for 8–10 minutes until thick and the oil separates.
5. Add the prawns, sugar and salt and cook 3–4 minutes more. Cool and keep in a clean glass jar in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Tip: Always use a dry, clean spoon – that keeps balchão fresh longer.

Shop the ingredients

Everything you need for this recipe is in stock at Farmah’s – order online or pick it up at Annenstraße 41, Graz.