Prawn balchão
Balchão — Goa's fiery, sweet-sour prawn pickle-curry
Balchão started as a way to keep the catch from the Goan monsoon season: prawns cooked down in a fierce red masala with vinegar and sugar until they keep like a pickle. In Goan homes a jar sits in the fridge to spoon beside rice and dal, and a fresh batch is served as a main curry on Sundays. Its taste is bold: hot, sharp and sweet all at once. Chef's tip: fry the masala slowly until the oil separates and it turns a deep brick colour; undercooked balchão tastes raw and vinegary.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the prawns
For the balchão masala
For cooking
Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Toss 1 ⅛ lb raw prawns with ½ tsp salt, pat dry and keep in the fridge.
2 minStep 2: Soak 12 dried Kashmiri chillies in ½ cup palm or coconut vinegar for 20 minutes, then blend with 1 tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp black peppercorns, 6 cloves, 1 ⅛ in cinnamon stick, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 8 cloves garlic and 1 ⅛ in fresh ginger to a smooth paste.
20 minStep 3: Heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a wide pan over a high heat and fry the prawns for 1–2 minutes until they just turn pink. Lift them out. Common mistake: cooking them fully now; they go rubbery when they return to the masala.
2 minStep 4: Add the rest of 5 tbsp sunflower oil and fry 2 onions over a medium heat for 10–12 minutes until golden brown.
12 minStep 5: Add 1 tomato and cook for 4 minutes until it collapses.
4 minStep 6: Stir in the masala paste and fry for 5–6 minutes, stirring often, until it darkens to brick red and the oil separates. Add 1 ½ tbsp sugar, ½ tsp salt and 2 tbsp dried shrimp (galmbo), if using.
6 minStep 7: Return the prawns and simmer for 2–3 minutes until they are pink and opaque all the way through and coated in thick masala.
3 minStep 8: Serve warm with rice, or cool completely, pack into a clean jar with the oil on top and keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. Always use a clean, dry spoon.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 25 g
- Carbs
- 15 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does prawn balchão take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of palm or coconut vinegar?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
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