Stuffed Mackerel Recipe (Goan Bharillo Bangdo)
This Stuffed Mackerel recipe with green masala is a classic Goan stuffed fish bursting with coastal flavors and aromatic spices. Fresh mackerel (also called Bangda fish in Goa) is filled with a tangy, spicy green masala paste, coated in semolina, and pan-fried to golden perfection. This Goan stuffed mackerel recipe is versatile. You can make it with any other fish or bake it for a healthier option. Serve it as an appetizer or as a side dish with rice and curry. Learn to make this flavorful dish with step-by-step photos and a quick recipe video.
Servings: 3 stuffed fish
Calories: 452kcal
Equipment
- 1 Mixer/Blender
- 1 Frying pan
Ingredients
- 3 Mackerel fish (or use Pomfret)
- half lemon size tamarind
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon tamarind pulp
- salt to taste
For Green Masala
- 1 cup of coriander leaves with stems
- 2 green chilies
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1- inch ginger
- 4 tablespoon coconut, grated or scrapped
- a small piece of tamarind
- 2 cloves
- 6 peppercorns
- half inch cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin
Other ingredients:
- ½ cup semolina rava
- ¼ cup rice flour optional
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ cup chopped onions
Instructions
Cleaning and prepping the Mackerel fish
- Soak tamarind: Soak a lemon-sized piece of tamarind in hot water for 15 minutes. Extract the pulp, discarding any seeds. Set the pulp aside for later use.
- Prepare the fish: Clean the fish thoroughly. Carefully make two incisions on each side of the fish, near the backbone. Gently widen these slits to form small pockets. Make a few shallow incisions on the fish as well. (Refer to the photos or video for a visual guide.)
Marinate the fish
- Salt the fish: Marinate the mackerels with salt, ensuring that the salt is applied inside the pockets. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Prepare the spice paste: Combine turmeric powder, red chili powder, and tamarind pulp. Add a little water to form a thick, spreadable paste. Add this spice paste all over the mackerels, including inside the pockets. Cover the fish and refrigerate.
Preparing the green masala stuffing
- Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
- In a blender, combine coriander leaves, green chilies, garlic, ginger, coconut, tamarind, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, and a little water. Blend into a smooth, thick paste. Green masala is ready. It is important to make thick paste otherwise it will be difficult to stuff the fish as the stuffing will come out during frying.
- Add the sauteed onions to the blended green masala paste and mix well. Season with salt. It is important to add salt only to flavor masala as the fish is already marinated with salt.
Stuffing the Mackerel
- Gently stuff the mackerel fish with the prepared green masala paste. Avoid overstuffing, as the masala may come out during frying.
- Press the mackerels gently to remove any excess masala. Coat the fish with the green masala on all sides.
- For crispy coating: In a plate, combine semolina and rice flour. Coat the stuffed mackerel with the semolina mixture, ensuring it is evenly coated.
Frying the stuffed Mackerel
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Carefully place the stuffed mackerel in the hot oil.
- Fry undisturbed for 2 minutes or until that side is golden brown and crispy. Drizzle some oil over the fish.
- Gently flip the fish and fry the other side for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Make sure to use a wide spatula to flip the fish. Also, flip the fish from the unstuffed side. It makes them flipping easier and the stuffing remains intact. Stuffed fish is ready to serve. Serve the stuffed mackerel hot as an appetizer or side dish with rice and curry.
Video
Notes
- Choosing Fresh Mackerel for the Recipe: When picking fresh mackerel, look for bright, and clear eyes—cloudy or sunken eyes are a sign of aging. The skin should be shiny and firm, reflecting light, and the flesh should bounce back when pressed with a finger. Fresh mackerel has a clean, mild, ocean-like smell; avoid any fish with a sour or ammonia-like odor. Also, check the gills—they should be bright red or pink and moist, not dull or brown. Finally, ensure the belly is firm and not swollen or sunken.
- Adjust the spice level of the Green Masala by either reducing the number of green chilies to make it less spicy or increasing them to make it spicier.
- Make sure to use a wide spatula to flip the fish. Also, flip the fish from the unstuffed side. It makes them flipping easier and the stuffing remains intact.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 672mg | Potassium: 897mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 934IU | Vitamin C: 455mg | Calcium: 209mg | Iron: 3mg