Recheado Masala Fish Recipe: A Taste of Coastal India

Spicy Goan Recheado Masala Fish Recipe That Will Wow Your Guests! – Hey there, food friends! Lumina here, and I’m SUPER excited to share one of my absolute favorite seafood dishes with you today – Recheado Masala Fish!

Recheado Masala Fish

Lumina Liu

A delicious Indian seafood dish featuring mackerel marinated in a flavorful spice paste made with red chilies, ginger, garlic, and aromatic spices. The fish is stuffed with the recheado masala and shallow fried until golden brown. Serve hot with rice, curry, and lime wedges for a perfect spicy seafood meal.

4.9 from 287 votes

Prep Time 40 Minutes

Cook Time 20 Minutes

Total Time 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Course Seafood

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4 servings

Calories 320 calories kcal

Ingredients

 

• 4 mackerel fish
• 18 dried red chilies
• 1 inch ginger
• 8 cloves garlic
• 1.5 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 4 cloves
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 marble sized tamarind balls
• 2.5 tbsp vinegar
• Oil for frying

Instructions

 

1. Soak all the spices, ginger, garlic, tamarind pulp and kashmiri chilies except oil in vinegar. Add sugar and salt. Also add turmeric powder.
2. Combine all nicely and marinate for 35-40 mins.
3. 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.
4. Rinse the fish slit from the center and give some incision from the top.
5. Now stuff the paste into the center and into the incision. Coat the entire fish with this paste. Marinate the fish for 30 mins.
6. Place oil in a shallow pan, once oil is quite hot shallow fry the stuffed mackerels. Fry until golden brown from both sides.
7. Serve the recheado mackerels hot with salad, lime wedges, rice and curry.

Nutrition

Calories: 320.00 caloriesFat: 18.00 gCarbohydrates: 9.00 gCholesterol: 95.00 mgFiber: 2.00 gProtein: 28.00 gSaturated Fat: 3.00 g

Keyword Recheado Masala Fish, Indian Seafood, Spicy Mackerel, Goan Fish Recipe, Fish with Red Chili Paste

This fiery, tangy, and utterly delicious Indian recipe from Goa is a total game changer for your weeknight dinner rotation. Trust me, once you try this, you’ll be hooked! 😊

What Makes Recheado Masala Fish Special?

Recheado (pronounced reh-sha-do) means “stuffed” in Portuguese, reflecting Goa’s colonial history. This spicy red masala paste is the magical component that transforms ordinary mackerel into something extraordinary!

The vibrant red color comes from dried Kashmiri chilies, which bring tons of color but manageable heat.

What I absolutely love about this Recheado Masala Fish recipe is how the tangy, spicy marinade penetrates the fish, creating layers of flavor that are simply mind-blowing. The vinegar not only adds tanginess but also helps preserve the fish – clever, right?

Ingredients You’ll Need to Cook This Delicious Recheado Masala Fish

To make this tasty recheado masala fish, here are the ingredients you’ll need.

For the Recheado Masala:

• 18 dried Kashmiri red chilies
• 1 inch ginger, peeled
• 8 cloves garlic
• 1.5 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 4 cloves
• 2 cardamom pods
• 2 marble-sized tamarind balls
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Salt to taste
• 2.5 tbsp vinegar (white or coconut)

For the Fish:

• 4 mackerel, cleaned and prepared
• Oil for frying

How to Make Perfect Recheado Masala Fish: Step-by-Step Guide

Want to make the perfect recheado masala fish? Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to get you started.

Step 1: Prepare the Masala Paste

First things first, let’s get that amazing masala paste ready! This is where all the magic happens in our Recheado Masala Fish recipe.

1. Soak your spices. In a bowl, combine the dried Kashmiri chilies, ginger, garlic, black pepper, cumin, cloves, cardamom, and tamarind in vinegar.
2. Add the seasonings. Mix in sugar, salt, and turmeric powder.
3. Let it marinate. Allow this mixture to soak for about 35-40 minutes. This helps soften the dried chilies and infuses the vinegar with all those amazing flavors!
4. Grind it up! After soaking, transfer everything to a blender and grind until you get a smooth, thick paste. If it’s too dry, add a splash more vinegar – but be careful! The paste needs to be thick enough to stick to the fish.

Pro tip: The consistency of your masala paste is super important! If it’s too thin, it won’t cling to the fish properly. Aim for a thick, spreadable paste.

Step 2: Prepare and Stuff the Fish

Now comes the fun part of our Recheado Masala Fish – getting that flavorful paste onto your fish!

1. Prep your mackerel. Rinse the fish thoroughly and make a slit down the center. Then, make a few small cuts on top.
2. Stuff it generously! Take your masala paste and stuff it into the center cavity and into those cuts you made. Then coat the entire fish with the paste.
3. Marinate. Let the stuffed fish rest for about 30 minutes to absorb all those amazing flavors.

Step 3: Fry to Perfection

The final step in our Recheado Masala Fish recipe is cooking these beauties to golden perfection!

1. Heat your pan. Add enough oil to a shallow pan for frying and heat it until it’s nice and hot.
2. Fry carefully. Gently place your stuffed mackerel in the hot oil and fry until they turn a beautiful golden brown on both sides.
3. Serve hot! These are best enjoyed fresh off the pan when they’re still crackling with flavor!

Serving Suggestions

Serve your Recheado Masala Fish with:
* Steamed white rice
* A simple Goan curry
* Fresh salad on the side
* Lime wedges for squeezing
* Cold beer (for the adults!) or lemonade

Helpful Recipe Tips & Variations

• Fish choices: While mackerel is traditional for this Recheado Masala Fish recipe, you can also use pomfret, kingfish, or even sardines. Each brings its own unique flavor to the dish!
• Spice level: Can’t handle too much heat? No worries! You can reduce the number of chilies or remove the seeds before soaking them.
• Storage tip: The paste keeps well! If you have leftover masala paste, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It makes for a quick meal starter next time!
• About the cinnamon: The original recipe mentions cinnamon is optional as it’s a strong spice typically used for meat dishes. I personally skip it when making Recheado Masala Fish, but you can experiment if you like!

Why This Recipe Works

What makes this Recheado Masala Fish recipe so special is the perfect balance of tangy, spicy, and savory flavors. The vinegar acts as both a preservative and flavor enhancer, while the blend of spices creates a complex taste that’s hard to resist!

When I first tried making this dish, I was a bit intimidated by the list of spices, but trust me – it’s actually pretty straightforward! The most important thing is getting that paste consistency right and being patient with the marination times.

The best part? This impressive dish takes less than an hour of active cooking time! It’s perfect for when you want something special without spending the entire day in the kitchen.

Give this Recheado Masala Fish recipe a try this weekend – your taste buds will thank you! Drop a comment below if you have any questions or to let me know how it turned out. Happy cooking! 🐟✨