Rechad-Masala Mackerels

Rechad-Masala Mackerels

(Rechad masala is the much sort-after Goan specialty red masala or spice-paste you stuff the fish with & either pan-fry, grill or BBQ-by-the-beach! Oooh Yeah!!!!)
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PrepTime : Serves : Cook Time
15 Min 2 25 Min

Ingredients:

4 medium size mackerels or white pomfrets
salt & lime juice for marinade
4-6 dried red chillies
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 inch cinnamon stick
2 cardamom pods
1/2 tsp cloves
1 Tbsp peppercorns
2 tbsp coriander seeds
2 Tbsp bright red paprika pwd
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
6-8 garlic cloves - chopped
1/2 inch ginger piece - chopped
1tsp salt
2 tbsp vinegar


Cooking Instructions:

Ensure the fish cavity is cleaned. Run a sharp knife into the fish making pockets on either side of the backbone of the fish. You can even make 3-4 lateral grooves on either side of the fish - don't run the knife right into the bone, just about 3/4 way in. Apply salt & lime juice to the fish & set aside for 15-20 mins. Grind all the other ingredients to a paste except the oil. Wash the fish & smear the ground paste all over the fish - inside the pockets, inside the fish cavity & all over the outside too. You can let it sit & marinade for a while. Shallow-fry, grill or bbq for 6mins on each side. Serve with lemon wedges, onion rings and potato-chips/ fries.

Bhendi Masala/ Stuffed Okras

Bhendi Masala

(Okra semi-stuffed & cooked in a medley of ground spices)
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PrepTime : Serves : Cook Time
20 Min 3-4 20 min

Ingredients:

1/2 kg medium size okras (not big)
2 handfuls peanuts (w/o the skin)
1 cup dessicated coconut
2 green chillies
1/2 tbsp pepper corns
salt to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric pwd
2 chopped large onion
1/4 -1/2 cup curry leaves
cooking oil
2 ripe medium tomatoes -chopped
1/4 tsp cumin pwd
1 tbsp corriander pwd
1 tsp sugar

Cooking Instructions:

Run a knife into each okra from the pointed tip almost to the stemmed end & dust them with salt & turmeric and set aside. Lightly roast peanuts, coconut & 1/2 the finely chopped onion and put these along with the chillies, cumin pwd, pepper corns, turmeric pwd, sugar, coriander pwd & 1/2 tsp salt into the grinder. Coarsely grind (not a very smooth paste), pulsating only, till almost evenly coarse. Taste & add more salt if required. Heat 4 tbsp oil in a non-stick kadai/ sauce pan, fry tomatoes till soft & then add this masala/mixture & fry well for 5-6 minutes. Remove half of this mixture & stuff the okras with it. In the pan with the remaining masala, add 1/2 cup (or 1-2 cups if you want more gravy) water, stir well & immerse the okras in it & simmer covered for 5 minutes or till okras are cooked. Serve with piping hot rotis/ naan.

Goan Green Chicken Curry

Goan Green Chicken curry

(An authentic Goan chicken curry of mint, coconut & coriander!)


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PrepTime : Serves : Cook Time
10 Min 4 15Min


Ingredients :

1 full chicken cut to medium pieces (1000-1100gms in all)
1/2 tsp garlic ginger paste
2 sprigs curry leaves
salt to taste
6 tbsp desiccated coconut
2 green chillies
1 cup mint leaves
2-3 cups coriander leaves
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp pepper corns
1/2 tsp turmeric pwd
2 large onions chopped finely
1/2 cup chopped coriander to garnish
1 tsp sugar
cooking oil
1 1-2" cinnamon stick
2 dried red chilies
4-5 cardamoms


Cooking Instructions:

In a mixer, grind the coconut, coriander, mint, some salt, sugar, turmeric, pepper corns, cumin, half the onions & green chilies into a paste, adding water a little at a time till you get a smooth paste. Fry the remaining onions in hot oil & then add garlic-ginger paste, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, whole red chilies and fry well. Add the ground masala/spices 2 tbsp at a time, frying well. Add washed chicken pieces & fry well for 2-3 minutes. Throw in the curry leaves, add 2 cups water, cover & cook till the chicken is done (1 whistle on high flame & simmer for 5 mins in pressure cooker). Garnish with chopped coriander & serve with steamed rice.

Peanut-chutney stuffed Baby Brinjals

Peanut-chutney stuffed Baby brinjals

(An Indian dish from the state of Maharashtra featuring baby brinjals/ eggplant stuffed with a spicy peanut sauce & cooked in the same gravy)

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PrepTime : Serves : Cook Time
10 Min 4 10Min


Ingredients :

8 small brinjals (golf-ball size)
2 handfuls peanuts (w/o the skin)
1 cup dessicated coconut
2 green chillies
1/2 tbsp pepper corns
salt to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric pwd
2 chopped large onion
1/4 -1/2 cup curry leaves
cooking oil
2 ripe medium tomatoes -chopped
1/4 tsp cumin pwd
1 tbsp corriander pwd
1 tsp sugar

Cooking Instructions:

Run a knife into the bulb of each brinjal 3/4th way in towards the stem (not fully), the repeat perpendicular to this cut (cross cut). Repeat for all brinjals & place in a bowl of water with a pinch of turmeric powder & 1/2 tsp salt added to it.

Lightly roast peanuts, coconut & 1/2 the finely chopped onion and put these along with the chillies, cumin pwd, pepper corns, turmeric pwd, sugar, coriander pwd & 1/2 tsp salt. Coarsely grind (not a very smooth paste), pulsating only, till almost evenly coarse. Taste & add more salt if required.

Heat 4 tbsp oil in a non-stick kadai/ sauce pan, fry tomatoes till soft & then add this masala/ mixture & fry well for 5-6 minutes. Remove half of this mixture & stiff the brinjals with it.

In the pan with the remaining masala, add 1/2 cup (or 1-2 cups if you want more gravy) water, stir well & place the brinjals in it (stem above the gravy, bulbs immersed well into the gravy) & simmer covered for 5 minutes or till brinjals are cooked. Serve with piping hot rotis/ naan.