Goan Recipes : a flavorful vegetarian secret revealed :
The yellowed pages on an old cook book that were handed over to you by your mom…
And were handed over to her by her mother.
If you were lucky you may have traded some of these family secrets from your grandmothers or great grandmothers in person. Just like language, food can be lost to a generation if you do not preserve the recipes. So every week we try to forward these gold nuggets and preserve culture. Today we have in the limelight a vegetarian delight from Goa. This Goan recipe is easy to make and can be enjoyed at home with a little help from our curated Recheado Paste.
Brinjal Recheado
While most regional cuisines offer a wide range of vegetarian food, when one thinks of Goa, conversations often revolve around seafood that the shacks do ample justice to. A pity, considering the fact that Goa has lip smacking vegetarian cuisine on offer, like Alsandyecha tonak (black eyed peas in a gravy), Saar (similar to rasam but with a Goan flourish), a mixed vegetable curry in a curry base where the spice is softened by the cashews added to tone down the spice. Even the Masalas typically used to fry fish, or used in meat based gravies can be used for vegetarian cuisine.
Recheado paste, a fiery tangy spice that literally means stuffing in Portuguese, traces its origins to the 16thcentury. Made with garlic, cashew vinegar or wine vinegar and Kashmiri red chillies which gives it its fiery red hue, this paste is mostly used to marinade fish. But the vegetarians can use this masala as it is versatile enough to be used with eggplants / okra / raw jackfruit.
Here is a vegetarian twist in which the masala has been used to make an eggplant fry.
Baingan Recheado
- 1 large Bharta Baingan/Brinjal
- Home Kouzina’s Recheado paste
- Little suji / semolina to coat
- Oil
- Salt
Chop the brinjal into circular thin slices. Coat with turmeric and salt and leave aside for around 10 to 15 minutes. Squeeze the water from the brinjals.
Spread a little reacheado paste (not too much as it has a strong taste) and coat with semolina. Then shallow fry with little oil on tawa. Eat as is, or as a side dish with dal and rice or roti.
This Goan recipe is not a star of the menu at many commercial eateries in Goa but it is a staple in many Goan households.
Goan Recipes : A Step by Step Visual Guide : Brinjal Recheado
Crescentia is a well known expert on coastal cuisine in the NCR region, and has a large fan base for her delectable Goan fare that she loves dishing out. Recheado masala made by Crescentia Scolt Fernandes is available at Home Kouzina and can be shipped pan India.
A little texture added to this goan recipe makes it a sensory attack on your taste buds.
Experiment with this Goan recipe at home with Home Kouzina's rarest blend of spices. Our chef's have ensured that you get an unmatched authentic flavour even as you experiment in your own kitchen!
Recheado Fish Fry: A Bonus Recipe
Ingredients:
4-6 pieces of fish (pomfret, kingfish, or any firm-fleshed fish)Goan recheado masala pasteSalt to tasteOil for fryingInstructions:
Clean and wash the fish pieces. Pat them dry with paper towels.Make slits on the surface of the fish pieces for the marinade to penetrate.Rub salt and recheado masala paste generously over the fish pieces, ensuring they are well coated. Marinate for at least 30 minutes to an hour, or preferably overnight in the refrigerator for better flavor.Heat oil in a frying pan or skillet over medium heat.Once the oil is hot, gently place the marinated fish pieces in the pan, taking care not to overcrowd them.Fry the fish pieces until golden brown and cooked through, turning them once or twice to ensure even cooking.Once done, remove the fish pieces from the pan and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.Serve the recheado fish fry hot with steamed rice, salad, and lemon wedges.These Goan recheado recipes are flavorful and perfect for seafood lovers. Adjust the spiciness and tanginess of the recheado masala paste according to your taste preferences. Enjoy your Goan culinary adventure!
Recheado Fish Fry: A Bonus Recipe
Ingredients:
4-6 pieces of fish (pomfret, kingfish, or any firm-fleshed fish)Goan recheado masala pasteSalt to tasteOil for fryingInstructions:
Clean and wash the fish pieces. Pat them dry with paper towels.Make slits on the surface of the fish pieces for the marinade to penetrate.Rub salt and recheado masala paste generously over the fish pieces, ensuring they are well coated. Marinate for at least 30 minutes to an hour, or preferably overnight in the refrigerator for better flavor.Heat oil in a frying pan or skillet over medium heat.Once the oil is hot, gently place the marinated fish pieces in the pan, taking care not to overcrowd them.Fry the fish pieces until golden brown and cooked through, turning them once or twice to ensure even cooking.Once done, remove the fish pieces from the pan and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.Serve the recheado fish fry hot with steamed rice, salad, and lemon wedges.These Goan recheado recipes are flavorful and perfect for seafood lovers. Adjust the spiciness and tanginess of the recheado masala paste according to your taste preferences. Enjoy your Goan culinary adventure!
Write to us if you are looking for any other rare Goan recipes or spices we would love to help you find the right blend and the right flavour.