This Goan specialty of Recheado Masala comes from Portuguese Cuisine and Recheado means stuffed in Portuguese.  The taste and aroma of this Pomfret Recheado will make you crazy and tempt you to eat. Such is the magic of Pomfret Recheado. Pomfrets are commonly referred as paplets in Mumbai, India.  This Pomfret Recheado is a must try.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • Fresh Pomphret Fish – 4 medium sized Fish.  Very important to clean the pomphrets and remove the unwanted flesh from the mouth with your hands and discard them. Make an incision and slits with knife from mouth to tail in round shape. Don’t apply too much pressure on the knife else fish will cut. The incision is made so that you can easily stuff the masalas in the pomphets.
  • Hot Red Chilli – 5 pieces.  Soak them in little warm water.
  • Kashmiri Red Chilli (for colour) – 5 pieces.  Soak them in little warm water.
  • Onion – 2 medium size.  Thinly sliced.  Fry them in hot oil and brown them. Remove it from oil.  Cool it. Keep it aside.
  • Balsemic Vinegar – 4 tbs.
  • Red Wine – 4 tbs.
  • Sugar – 1 tsp.
  • Kokum (Garcinia) – 3 piece.
  • Ginger – 2 inch size.  Roughly chopped.
  • Garlic – 12 to 15 cloves. Roughly chopped.
  • Ajwain (Carom Seeds) – 1 tsp.
  • Dhaniya (Coriander) seeds – 2 tbs.
  • Dal Chini (Cinnamon stick) – 2 inch size.
  • Chakri Phool (Star Anise) – 1 piece.
  • Salt to taste. 
  • Kadipatta (Curry Leaves) – 10 petals.
  • Jeera (Cummin seeds) – 1 tbs.
  • Badi Elaichi (Black Cardamom) – 1 piece.
  • Choti Elaichi (Green Cardamom) – 3 pieces.
  • Lawang (Cloves) – 4 pieces.
  • Kali Miri (Black Pepper) – 10 seeds.
  • Tej Patta (Bay Leaves) – 2 leaves.
  • Fresh Haldi (Tumeric) – 2 inch size.  (Haldi powder can be used if fresh haldi is not available).
  • Rice Flour – 4 tbs.
  • Besan (Gram Flour) – 2 tbs.
  • Cooking Oil  – as much required for shallow frying.

Method:

  • Take a plate and place the cleaned Pomphret (slits and incision made) in it. Apply pinch of Tumeric powder, 1 tsp of salt, 1 tsp of lime to them and rub them nicely on the Pomphret.  Allow it to marinate for atleast 30 minutes.  This is the First Marination.
  • To prepare spicy and tangy Recheado Masala paste – Take a mixer grinder. Add Fried Brown Onions, Soaked Hot Red Chilli with its water, Soaked Kashmiri Red Chilli, Balsemic Vinegar, Red Wine, Sugar, Kokum, Ginger, Garlic, Ajwain, Dhaniya, Dal Chini, Chakri Phool, Salt to taste, Kadipatta, Jeera, Badi Elaichi, Choti Elaichi, Lawang, Kali Miri, Tej Patta, Fresh Haldi, very little water, and grind them into a fine paste.  
  • Transfer this Recheado Masala paste on a plate.  Add Rice flour and Besan (Gram flour) to the Recheado Masala paste and mix them well using your fingers.
  • Place the Pomphret Fish (having first marination) on this Recheado Masala paste / plate.  Apply and stuff this Recheado Masala paste every where (stuff the masala inside the incisions) on the Pomphret Fish.  Allow it to marinate for atleast 4 hours in Fridge or leave it to marinate overnight.
  • Take a flat Frying Pan.  Add sufficient cooking oil in to the pan for shallow frying. Heat up the Oil.
  • Once the Oil is heated up, carefully lift the marinated Pomphret fish from plate and place it in the hot oil.
  • Fry the Pomphret on both sides on medium flame until it turns golden brown and Pomphret is cooked properly.  While flipping the fish, handle and lift it carefully so that the fish doesn’t break.
  • Repeat the above step for remaining marinated Pomphret fish.
  • Spicy and Tangi Pomphret Recheado is ready to be served hot along with lime and sliced onion.  Sprinkle some Chat masala powder on the fish if you like it that way.
  • Pomphret Recheado tastes terrific with pav, bread, roti or just gulp like that.
  • Happy Eating.