Goan Recheado Masala

5 from 1 vote

Recheado Masala with step-by-step photos and a video recipe. Also called Rechead Masala in Goan cuisine, this spicy and tangy Goan paste is used for stuffing or marinating fish, prawns, and crab. You can make it at home in under 30 minutes using red chilies, vinegar, garlic, and a few basic spices.

Prep Time30

Total Time30

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: Goan, Indian

Servings: Cup

Calories: 367kcal

Author: Preeti Nayak

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 add more to taste
a small lemon size ball of tamarind (skip if not available and increase the quantity of vinegar)
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. Traditionally, they are soaked in vinegar.
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.
I tweaked the recipe a little and added less vinegar. If you want to go for the authentic version. Check out the video recipe. Soak 20 Kashmiri red chilies in ¾ cup of vinegar. The other ingredients remain the same. Do not add tamarind.
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