Spicy Goan prawns with garlic, chilli & tamarind
Although this recheado is commonly made using pan-fried fish, it works really well with grilled prawns too. This classic masala base from the state of Goa balances the sweetness of the prawns, which I have cooked in a griddle pan to lend them a wonderful smoky flavour. Make sure you use large tiger prawns and fully coat them in the thick chilli paste. I butterfly the prawns and then fill the cavities with the paste to ensure that they take on maximum flavour while they cook. If you have any left over, this chilli paste freezes well.
Extract taken from Tandoori Home Cooking by Maunika Gowardhan (Hardie Grant, £25) Photography ©Issy Croker
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Ingredients
Serves 4
Methods
Step 1
Soak the dried chillies in a bowl of hot water and set aside for 20 minutes.
Step 2
Using kitchen scissors, cut through the shell of each prawn from just below the head to the tail following the line
of its back. Devein the prawns by removing the line that runs down each prawn with your fingers. Leaving the shells on, butterfly the prawns by slicing part way only through each prawn to create a cavity that will later be filled with the paste. Set aside on a plate while you make the paste.Step 3
Put the soaked chillies in a blender with 50 ml (1¾ fl oz/¼ cup) of their soaking liquid. Add the cloves, cumin, black peppercorns, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, sugar, vinegar and tamarind paste, then blend to a smooth paste. Decant into a bowl, season to taste and add the fish sauce. Stir well. Spread this paste over each prawn, including inside the butterflied cavity.
Step 4
Heat a griddle pan over a medium flame, add the prawns a few at a time and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side until lightly charred and cooked through.
Step 5
Serve warm with roti, salad and my Tangy Chilli & Coriander Dipping Sauce.
