This Recheado Masala recipe is simple, flavorful, and perfect for seafood lovers from Goan cuisine. Learn how to make this Goan spicy and tangy paste at home, ready in 30 minutes, and use it for stuffing fish, marinades, and many Goan dishes.
What is Recheado Masala?
Recheado Masala (Rechad Masala) is a tangy and spicy Goan spice paste. It is made with ginger, garlic, red chilies, vinegar, and spices.
'Recheado' means 'stuffed' in Portuguese, reflecting its primary use for stuffing fish or as a spicy marinade for fish, prawns, and crabs.
About This Recipe
I always loved eating recheado fish fry in Goan restaurants, and that taste made me try making this Goan masala at home. Traditionally, the chilies, ginger, garlic, and tamarind are soaked in vinegar and then ground with the spices to make this Goan paste.
But the traditional version felt too tangy for me because I don't enjoy a strong vinegar flavour. Later, when I spoke to a few locals, I realised everyone makes it a little differently.
Some people skip soaking, others use less vinegar, and some even reduce or skip the spices. I tested those versions, and one of them suited my taste.
That's the recipe I am sharing today, a family-approved version with full Goan flavour. If you enjoy dishes like Goan fish curry, chicken xacuti, and chicken cafreal, you'll love this too.
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Ingredients & Substitutions
See the recipe card at the end of the post for full ingredients, quantities, and a printable version.
- Kashmiri red chilies: These chilies give a bright red color and mild heat to the Goan Rechad masala. You can replace them with Byadagi or any dried red chilies, but adjust the quantity to your taste. Kashmiri red chili powder also works.
- Vinegar: I used Goan toddy vinegar (coconut vinegar) as it is locally available and for authentic Goan flavor. You can use it for making Goan Chicken Vindaloo. You can substitute it with palm vinegar, red wine vinegar, or rice vinegar. I have made it many times with white vinegar, and it tastes good.
- Tamarind: If you don't have tamarind, skip it. Many locals leave it out because the vinegar gives enough tang, but I prefer more tamarind and less vinegar, as I don't enjoy a strong vinegar taste.
- Spices: You will need simple spices like cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, cumin, and turmeric.
- Sugar: Sugar balances the tanginess and spiciness of the masala paste. Do not skip adding it.
How to make Recheado Masala Recipe with Step-by-Step Photos
Step 1: De-seed the Kashmiri chilies if you prefer less heat. Now cut it into 2-3 pieces. Soak Kashmiri red chilies in hot water for 15 minutes then drain the water. Traditionally, they are soaked in vinegar.
Step 2: Hold the onion with a fork or tongs and roast it over an open flame until the skin is charred and the inside feels soft. Keep turning it so it cooks evenly.
Step 3: Let it cool, then cut it into quarters, remove the burnt skin, and trim the root. You can also slice the onion and pan-fry it in a little oil until golden if you prefer.
Step 4: Add red chilies, ginger, garlic, tamarind, roasted onion, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, sugar, and salt to a mixer or grinder jar. Grind to a smooth, thick paste. If needed, you can add a little water.
Step 5: Taste the masala and adjust the salt, vinegar, or sugar to balance tanginess and spice levels. Transfer the Recheado masala to an airtight jar and freeze. It stays fresh for up to a month.
Recipe Tips
- Use dried Kashmiri chilies for a bright red color and balanced heat.
- You can adjust the spiciness of Rechead masala by deseeding the Kashmiri red chilies and reducing the number of peppercorns.
- Taste the masala and adjust the flavors as needed. You can add more chilies for heat, more vinegar for tanginess, or more sugar for sweetness.
- Keep the consistency of the masala thick so that it can be used later for stuffing.
How to use this Goan Rechead Masala?
It is most popularly used in preparing stuffed mackerel or pomfret, but it’s so versatile that you can use it in your curries and marinades.
- Stuffing: Traditionally, this masala is used as stuffing to make stuffed mackerels, stuffed squids, or Pomfrets.
- Marinades: It's perfect for marinating fish to make rechead masala fish, prawns, squid, and other seafood. You can also use it to marinate chicken and make rechead masala chicken, lamb, or any other meat.
- Stir-fries: Add a spoonful of rechead masala to your stir-fries, like prawn chili fry. It is also added to curries. Instead of making Goan squid masala with onion, tomato, and simple spices, try this rechead masala for squids.
Recipe FAQs
This Goan masala is medium-spicy. You can adjust it by adding or reducing Kashmiri red chilies and black pepper.
You can store it in an airtight container. Label it with the date it was packed. Store it in the freezer for a long storage life. It stays good for a month.
Yes, you can use it in making vegetable stir fry or stuffed okra, eggplant, etc.
Recipe Card
Goan Recheado Masala
Equipment
- 1 Glass bowl
- 1 Mixer Jar
Ingredients
- 20 kashmiri red chilies cut into 2-3 pieces (deseed them to reduce spiciness)
- 3 tablespoon Goan toddy vinegar or white vinegar
- a small lemon size ball of tamarind (skip if not available)
- 8 garlic cloves
- 1- inch ginger
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves
- 5 peppercorns
- ½ inch cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Preparations
- De-seed the Kashmiri chilies if you prefer less heat. Now cut it into 2-3 pieces. Soak Kashmiri red chilies in hot water for 15 minutes then drain the water.
- Roast the onion: Hold the onion with a fork or tongs and roast it over an open flame until the skin is charred and the inside feels soft. Keep turning it so it cooks evenly.
- Let it cool, then cut it into quarters, remove the burnt skin, and trim the root. You can also slice the onion and pan-fry it in a little oil until golden if you prefer.
Making the Recheado Masala
- To a mixer/grinder jar, add red chilies, ginger, garlic, tamarind, roasted onion, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, sugar, and salt. Add a little water and grind to a smooth, thick paste.
- Taste the masala and adjust the salt, vinegar, or sugar to balance tanginess and spice levels. Transfer the Recheado masala to an airtight jar and freeze. It stays fresh for up to a month.
Video
Notes
- You can use this masala to make recheado fish fry.
- Use dried Kashmiri chilies for a bright red color and balanced heat.
- You can adjust the spiciness of Recheado masala by deseeding the Kashmiri red chilies and reducing the quantity of peppercorns.
- Taste the masala and adjust the flavors as needed. You can add more chilies for heat, more vinegar for tanginess, or more sugar for sweetness.
- Keep the consistency of the masala thick so that it can be used later for stuffing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Preeti
This recheado masala is so delicious. I love that classic Goan kick. It's the perfect combination of spicy and tangy. I used it to stuff some mackerel, and it was absolutely delicious. This recipe is a keeper. Try this recipe, you will love it.