Prawn Balchao

Name: Prawn Balchao
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 500g prawns, peeled; 12 dried Kashmiri chillies; 100ml coconut or malt vinegar; 10 cloves garlic and a piece of ginger; Cumin, cloves, cinnamon and peppercorns; 2 onions, chopped; 1 tbsp sugar

Balchão de camarão/bal-CHOW/

Also known as: Prawn Balchão, Goan Prawn Pickle, Shrimp Balchao

About this dish

A fiery, tangy Goan prawn pickle-curry with dried chillies, vinegar, garlic and spices.

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Ingredients

🦐500g prawns, peeled

🌶️12 dried Kashmiri chillies

🫙100ml coconut or malt vinegar

🧄10 cloves garlic and a piece of ginger

🌿Cumin, cloves, cinnamon and peppercorns

🧅2 onions, chopped

🍬1 tbsp sugar

Method

Serves 4

Soak the chillies and spices in the vinegar, then grind with the garlic and ginger into a paste.

Salt the prawns and fry them briefly, then set aside.

Fry the onions until soft and golden.

Add the paste and cook until the oil separates.

Add the prawns and sugar and cook until thick. Serve with rice or keep in a jar for a few days.

✓ What Makes it Authentic

Balchão reflects Portuguese influence in Goa; it was made to preserve seafood and keeps for days.

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