Fish Recheado Masala Recipe a spicy, tangy, shallow fried fish is a traditional Goan recipe. Recheado masala is a red paste which is filled with stuffing in fishes like pomfret and mackerel. Me and my sister have grown up eating this fish and I just love them. In-fact I am not so fond of mackerel but when rechead is filled in it just love mackerels then.
This red paste is made mainly with kashmiri red chilies, spices, ginger, garlic and vinegar. The fish is marinated with this red paste and could be kept overnight in the freezer or for 40-45 mins. If you are using a pomfret or a mackerel fish then ensure the sticky part near the head is removed. The fish has to be sliced from the center but don’t split apart. Just make a small 3-4 incision over the fish. Rub this paste and fill in the stomach area and cover the fish with the paste. It’s generally shallow fried but if you want crispy fish then coat with semolina and flour then fry the fish.
This dish goes well with a fish curry, rice and salad. We had mackerel recheado, sorak curry and rice. My hubby just loves the recheado fish and over-eats 😉
You could also make this paste and store them in the freezer section for further usage. In-fact I marinated some potatoes in the left-over paste and then shallow fried. It tasted quite delicious. If you are a vegetarian then marinate veggies like mushroom, potatoes and then shallow fry them.
There are a lot of version to this dish I have stuck to the basic. Secondly, my mom soak’s the spices and red chilies for 30-40 mins then grind them together. Some add vinegar towards the end. But I love my mom’s recipe hence followed it to the tee.
How to make Fish Recheado Masala with mackerels:
1. Soak all the spices, ginger, garlic, tamarind pulp and kashmiri chilies except oil in vinegar. Adding cinnamon is optional for this recipe.
2. Add sugar and salt.
3. Also add turmeric powder. Combine all nicely and marinate for 35-40 mins.
4. Grind the mixture until soft and smooth.
5. Add more vinegar if required but ensure the paste has to be thick so add vinegar accordingly. If the masala paste is thin then it would not stick to the fish.
6. Rinse the fish slit from the center and give some incision from the top. Just remove the sticky stuff from the mouth area keeping the eyes intact. You could see the fish below for clarity.
7. Now stuff the paste into the center and into the incision. Coat the entire fish with this paste. Marinate the fish for 30 mins.
8. Place oil in a shallow pan, once oil is quite hot shallow fry the stuffed mackerels.
9. Fry until golden brown from both sides.
10. Serve the recheado mackerels hot with salad, lime wedges, rice and curry.
If you love sea food then do check goan prawns pulao, crab curry, achari jhinga, goan prawn curry recipe, prawns masala, pomfret recheado, clam dry and prawns in green masala.
Fish Recheado Masala recipe cart below:
- 4 mackerels rinsed, slit within the center and 2-3 incision from the top (bangda)
- 17-18 dry red kashmiri chilies
- 1 inch ginger chopped
- 7-8 garlic cloves
- 1.5 tsp pepper corn
- 1 tsp cumin seed
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 one inch cinnamon stick (optional)
- 4-5 cloves
- 2 green cardamom
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 marble sized tamarind ball without seed or pulp
- 2.5 tbsp vinegar or as required
- salt as required
- oil for shallow frying
- Soak all the spices, ginger, garlic, tamarind pulp and kashmiri chilies except oil in vinegar.
- Add sugar and salt.
- Also add turmeric powder.
- Combine all nicely and marinate for 35-40 mins.
- Grind the mixture until soft and smooth. Add more vinegar if required but ensure the paste has to be thick so add vinegar accordingly. If the masala paste is thin then it would not stick to the fish.
- Rinse the fish slit from the center and give some incision from the top. You could see the fish below for clarity.
- Now stuff the paste into the center and into the incision. Coat the entire fish with this paste. Marinate the fish for 30 mins.
- Place oil in a shallow pan, once oil is quite hot shallow fry the stuffed mackerels.
- Fry until golden brown from both sides
- Serve the recheado mackerels hot with salad, lime wedges, rice and curry.
2. If you aren't able to find kashmiri chilies then use bedgi chilies or kashmiri red chili powder.
3. You could use white vinegar or coconut vinegar.
4. Any left over paste could be stored in the fridge for future use.
5. Cinnamon could be avoided as it's a strong spice used generally for meat or chicken.
Sajid says
I love it I enjoy reeding your recipes and ideas thanks
maria says
Welcome Sajid, thanks for positive feedback.
Aishwarya says
Hey! Can I post this recipe on my blog with photographs clicked by me? I will give you the credit for this recipe and I will also add a link to your website on my blog. I am new to this blogging thing. So, if I have said something Inappropriate then please forgive me.
By the way I just love your recipes, especially recheado and ambotik.
Waiting for your reply
Thank You! ??
gloria says
Pls send recipes for meat stew goan,beef assad
maria says
Gloria don’t eat beef and mutton since childhood but if you are looking for any fish or chicken recipe then do let me know thanks.
Felicia Harby says
I want to make a large jar of your recheado masala to store in the fridge to whip up lunches/suppers. Could you give me the quantities I need for this? I would be most grateful. You have come the closes to Goan cooking and it is excellent. Thank you so much.
maria says
Felicia just double or triple up the quantities of ingredient’s for a jar or bottle of recheado masala. I usually make in bulk and place in the freezer. Thankyou for your kind and positive words god bless you and all the best 🙂
valisa says
Hi maria, going to try this recipe tomoro using pomfret.. just a 1 query.. if we r using vinegar than y we need tamarind??
maria says
Vinegar is used for preserving masala for a longer time. Hope this help’s you also with the spice the vinegar and tamarind is well balanced.
Aishwarya says
Great recipe! Just 1 queery… Can I use prawns with this masala? Thanx…
maria says
Yes Aishwarya you could try using prawns do lemme know how they tasted ???
Aishwarya says
Tried prawns recheado! It turned out really well!
maria says
I a pleased to know this thankyou Aishwarya for trying recheado with prawns 🙂
Devdutt says
Hi been following your posts from our group Konkan coastal Cuisines and happened to see your website, especially the Goan cuisine. Thanks for sharing and de-Mystifying Goan recipes and will be trying them out soon will give the feedback.
Thanks : D
maria says
Thankyou Devdutt I am pleased to know this 🙂 you are welcome and so share your feedback once you try any recipe..
charlotte says
I found your blog through foodgawker. I am going to start following you (from Saskatchewan, Canada) – hopefully I can capture some of that mysterious magic of Indian cooking through your step by step pictures. Nice blog!
charlotte says
And never mind the Indian food, you seem to love chocolate as much as me!
maria says
Yup love chocolates 🙂 wanna more and more.
maria says
Thankyou Charlotte it means a lot to me. Do try some recipes and keep me updated 🙂 take care and Hi to Canada.