Goan Recheado Fish Fry (Mackerel Fry Recipe)
Learn how to make Goan Recheado Fish Fry with a flavorful Mackerel fish recheado masala. This easy-to-follow recipe features a tangy, spicy recheado masala that makes the perfect recheado Mackerel, a popular Goan dish. You can prepare this fish fry recipe with your choice of fish, such as mackerel (bangda), kingfish, or pomfret. Learn to make this flavorful dish with step-by-step photos and a quick recipe video.
Servings: 3 fish fry
Equipment
- 1 Frying pan
Ingredients
- 3 mackerel fish medium-size, or use any firm fish like king fish or pomfret.
- 6 teaspoon of Recheado Masala add as per taste, the recipe is given in the notes section.
- 3-4 tablespoon coconut oil or any cooking oil with high smoke point and neutral flavor.
Instructions
Marinate fish for Recheado Mackerel
- Clean the mackerel fish or any fish like King fish or Pomfret. Remove head, tail, and scales. Remove the internal organs, including the gills. Rinse the fish inside and out with cold water.
- Using a sharp knife, carefully make two incisions on each side of the Mackerel fish, positioned close to the backbone. Gently widen the slits to form small pockets. These pockets will hold the flavorful masala. Score the fish a few times on each side (not too deep). Check out the images for more detail or watch the video.
- Marinate the fish with salt and keep it aside for 15 minutes. Don't forget to apply salt inside the pockets and slits too.
Stuffing Mackerel
- Add 1 teaspoon of recheado masala inside each pocket. Press gently on both sides and let excess masala come out. Apply the masala on both sides of the fish (top and bottom surface, inside the slits too). You can coat it in semolina and then pan-fry it. I skipped this step.Tip: Feel free to add masala to taste, but be mindful not to overdo it, as some of it may come out during frying. Also remember, the masala is spicy, so adjust the amount accordingly.
- Marinate the fish in this goan masala for an hour in the refrigerator. Don't skip this step, as it's the secret to a truly flavorful fish fry. However, if time constraints are an issue, a 30-minute marinade will still do the trick.
Frying the Recheado Mackerel
- In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Carefully place the recheado masala fish in the hot oil and cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes. Avoid overcrowding the pan. Gently flip the fish from the unstuffed side to avoid losing the flavorful recheado masala.Tip: Flip the fish with a wide, flat spatula, ensuring it doesn't break.
- Apply a teaspoon of oil on top. Fry the Mackerel fish until it is golden brown and crispy on both sides. Once cooked remove recheado mackerel to a plate. Serve this goan recheado fish fry as a side dish with rice and any curry of your choice.
Video
Notes
- You can check out the recipe for Recheado Masala.
- Firm, White-Fleshed Fish: Opt for fish like pomfret, kingfish, or mackerel for this Goan fish fry recipe. These fish hold their shape well during cooking and absorb the flavors of the marinade beautifully.
- Marinate the fish: Ensure the fish is well-coated with the recheado masala. Marinate for at least an hour, or ideally overnight, for the flavors to penetrate deeply. Keep the marinated Recheado masala fish covered inside the refrigerator.
- Do not overstuff the fish: Overfilling the fish with masala can cause it to spill out during frying, leading to a mess in the pan.
- Hot oil: For the perfect golden brown crust, heat the oil until it's hot but not smoking. If the oil is too hot, the fish will burn on the outside.
- Flipping too early: Allow the fish to cook undisturbed on one side for a good 2-3 minutes before flipping to avoid breaking it apart.
- Variation: I have seen a few locals add chopped onions to the recheado masala and then stuff it inside the fish and pan-fry it. You can also give it a try.