Large prawns slit and stuffed with fiery red recheado masala then shallow-fried until caramelised — one of the most celebrated Goan prawn preparations.
Ingredients
12 large prawns — shelled with tail on, deveined, slit along the back
For recheado masala:
8 dried Kashmiri red chillies — soaked in warm water 30 minutes
6 garlic cloves
1 inch ginger
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick — 2 cm
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
Oil for shallow frying
Method
Make recheado masala: drain soaked red chillies.
Blend with garlic, ginger, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric, vinegar, sugar and salt into a smooth, thick, deep-red paste.
Taste — it should be spicy, tangy from vinegar and slightly sweet.
Slit each prawn deeply along the back. Press 1 teaspoon of recheado masala into the slit of each prawn, spreading it generously.
Rest the stuffed prawns 15 minutes.
Heat 3 tbsp oil in a flat pan on medium-high.
Place stuffed prawns masala-side down first.
Cook on medium-high for 2 minutes until the masala caramelises and darkens. Flip carefully.
Cook the second side 2 minutes until prawns are cooked through — they should be curled and slightly charred at the edges from the sugars in the masala.