Seafood plays an integral part in the Goan cuisine. No wonder, they are innovative and skillful when it comes to preparation of fish. Pomfret stuffed with prawn balchão is a popular dish served at various restaurants in Goa. Fresh prawns are cooked in a spicy tangy sauce with a hint of sweetness. Then cooled, stuffed inside the fish and shallow fried. The subtle flavour of the pomfret in combination with the prawn filling is a party in the mouth. A seafood lover's delight that is absolutely delicious and irresistible.
Silver pomfret is highly in demand and therefore, expensive. Its delicate white flesh is favoured by many. Perfect for poaching, baking, grilling and frying. Fortunate to get fresh pomfrets here in Canada with shipment coming from India. Hence, prepared this dish that is memorable and worth sharing. The balchão recipe is from my home science journal that I have slightly modified. A keeper with the balchão that can be prepared with fresh prawns, bottled and relished as an accompaniment. Alternatively, can be used as a filling in which case, smaller prawns are ideal to stuff fish or pastry.
Silver pomfret is highly in demand and therefore, expensive. Its delicate white flesh is favoured by many. Perfect for poaching, baking, grilling and frying. Fortunate to get fresh pomfrets here in Canada with shipment coming from India. Hence, prepared this dish that is memorable and worth sharing. The balchão recipe is from my home science journal that I have slightly modified. A keeper with the balchão that can be prepared with fresh prawns, bottled and relished as an accompaniment. Alternatively, can be used as a filling in which case, smaller prawns are ideal to stuff fish or pastry.
Pomfret Stuffed With Prawn Balchão
(Serves 6)
Pomfret
Ingredients:
3 medium-sized silver pomfrets
juice of half a lime
oil for shallow frying
salt
Method:
Clean the fish by cutting off the fins on either side. Slit along both sides of the backbone but do not separate the pieces. Remove the innards, wash, season with salt and lime juice for 15 minutes.
Stuff fish on both sides of the centre bone with prawn balchão.
On medium flame, heat oil in a skillet and fry fish on either side until cooked through. Place fish on absorbent paper towels.
Serve warm with lemon wedges.
Note:
Prawn Balchão
Ingredients:
1/2 kg small prawns (shelled and deveined)
2 onions
8 large cloves of garlic
1-inch ginger
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup oil
salt
Grind to a fine paste (with 1/2 cup vinegar)
8 red dried Kashmiri chillies
8 whole black peppercorns
1-inch ginger
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
Method:
Wash prawns, drain well and season with salt.
Pulse onions, ginger and garlic in a food processor until fine. Onions should be done first and separately. Ginger and garlic can be pulsed together.
Heat oil in a pan and brown onions stirring every few minutes. Once brown, add ginger and garlic, fry well for 3 to 4 minutes till soft and fragrant, do not burn. Stir in the spice paste and cook on low heat until oil starts to separate. Rinse the blender jar with a dash of vinegar and add to the pan. Mix in the tamarind paste, prawns, sugar and salt. Cook for a couple of minutes, at which time, prawns will be done and mixture thick.
Set aside to cool.
Note:
(Serves 6)
Pomfret
Ingredients:
3 medium-sized silver pomfrets
juice of half a lime
oil for shallow frying
salt
Method:
Clean the fish by cutting off the fins on either side. Slit along both sides of the backbone but do not separate the pieces. Remove the innards, wash, season with salt and lime juice for 15 minutes.
Stuff fish on both sides of the centre bone with prawn balchão.
On medium flame, heat oil in a skillet and fry fish on either side until cooked through. Place fish on absorbent paper towels.
Serve warm with lemon wedges.
Note:
- If desired, fish can be coated with semolina before shallow frying.
Prawn Balchão
Ingredients:
1/2 kg small prawns (shelled and deveined)
2 onions
8 large cloves of garlic
1-inch ginger
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup oil
salt
Grind to a fine paste (with 1/2 cup vinegar)
8 red dried Kashmiri chillies
8 whole black peppercorns
1-inch ginger
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
Method:
Wash prawns, drain well and season with salt.
Pulse onions, ginger and garlic in a food processor until fine. Onions should be done first and separately. Ginger and garlic can be pulsed together.
Heat oil in a pan and brown onions stirring every few minutes. Once brown, add ginger and garlic, fry well for 3 to 4 minutes till soft and fragrant, do not burn. Stir in the spice paste and cook on low heat until oil starts to separate. Rinse the blender jar with a dash of vinegar and add to the pan. Mix in the tamarind paste, prawns, sugar and salt. Cook for a couple of minutes, at which time, prawns will be done and mixture thick.
Set aside to cool.
Note:
- No garlic used in the spice paste only ginger.
- Prawn balchão is enough to stuff 6 medium-sized pomfrets.
- If you are not using the balchão as a filling but as an accompaniment, then first fry the prawns in some oil until crisp. Increase the amount of oil from 1/2 to 1 cup. Follow procedure as above. Cool and store in an airtight sterilized glass jar ensuring that the balchão is covered with oil on the top.
- Use small prawns, if they are large then cut them into small pieces. I pulsed them in the food processor.
