Goan Prawn Balchao Recipe
Tiger prawns freshly ground spices | tomato.
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Ingredients
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Prawns
Balchao Masala (spice paste)
Sauce & finishing
Method
Prawns
- 1
Clean and marinate prawns
Rinse the tiger prawns under cold water, pat dry with paper towels. If not already done, remove the vein and shell as desired. In a bowl, combine prawns with 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp turmeric powder and 1 tbsp lime juice. Toss to coat and set aside to marinate for 15–20 minutes while you prepare the masala.
Balchao Masala (spice paste)
- 2
Dry roast whole spices
Heat a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add dried red chilies, extra Kashmiri chilies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, cloves, cardamom pods and cinnamon stick. Dry-roast, tossing frequently, for 2–4 minutes until fragrant and the chilies darken slightly but do not burn. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
- 3
Grind to a paste
Transfer the cooled roasted spices to a spice grinder or small blender. Add the garlic cloves, peeled ginger, brown sugar (or jaggery), 4 tbsp white vinegar and 4 tbsp water. Grind to a smooth, thick paste, adding a little more water or vinegar if necessary to achieve a spoonable consistency. Taste and adjust heat or acidity (add more vinegar for tang). Set aside.
Sauce & finishing
- 4
Cook onions
Heat 6 tbsp oil (use coconut oil for a traditional touch) in a wide heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the finely sliced onion and a pinch of salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion is deeply golden brown and caramelized — about 12–15 minutes. This step develops the deep sweet-savory base of the balchao.
- 5
Add tomatoes
Add the chopped tomatoes (or canned crushed tomatoes) and 1 tbsp tomato paste if using. Cook down, stirring, until the tomatoes break down and the oil begins to separate from the sauce, about 10–12 minutes. If the mixture looks too thick, add 1–2 tbsp water.
- 6
Incorporate spice paste
Stir in the prepared balchao masala paste into the tomato-onion mixture. Mix well and simmer on low for 6–8 minutes so the flavors meld and rawness from the paste cooks out. Taste and add 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; adjust to taste. If you want more heat, add the optional malvani masala or red chili powder now (about 1 tsp).
- 7
Finish with prawns
Increase the heat to medium. Add the marinated prawns to the sauce in a single layer, stirring gently to coat. Cook for 3–5 minutes until prawns turn pink and are just cooked through (do not overcook). Spoon the sauce over the prawns; if the curry seems dry, add 1–2 tbsp water and simmer 1 minute.
- 8
Rest and garnish
Turn off the heat and let the prawn balchao rest for 5 minutes to allow flavors to settle. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro. Adjust seasoning with a final splash (1 tsp) of vinegar if you prefer a brighter tang.
