Ambot Tik

Ingredients :

½ kg fish preferably skate, shark or catfish
10 dry red chillies
¼ tsp cumin seeds
4 peppercorns
¼ inch piece turmeric
4 flakes garlic
½ inch piece ginger
a small (marble size) tamarind
1 onion (sliced fine)
2 tbsp oil 

Preparation : 

Clean and wash the fish. Cut into desired pieces, apply salt and keep aside. In the meantime grind the above ingredients in a little water.

Fry the onion in oil till it turns brown. Add the masala and fry a bit. Add a cup of water, allow to boil and then add the fish pieces. Cook till tender on slow fire. Add salt and vinegar if necessary. 
Please note that shark ambot tik is said to be well acclaimed but smaller fish can also be used.

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Goan Seafood Recipes :)

Most goans would agree that their favourite dish is fish curry and rice, where there is a good mix of ingredients in every mouthful. Seafood forms an important part of the goan diet as it is high in protein. Goa has a beautiful coastline which yields plentiful supplies of fish all year round. The goans skills in preparing and serving fish are legendary and this is amplified by the variety of fish available; kingfisher pomfret, doumer, tuna, mackerel, crab, prawns, tiger prawns, shark, lobster squid and mussels, the list is endless. Goans are extremely adept at preparing fish in a wide variety of fish. Very fresh fish is sliced thinly and served raw; this is desirable and adds a bit of zest to any goan recipe. 


Fish can also be marinated, normally in a rashard but this is no means the only way it is prepared. Fish is also poached, battered, fried, grilled and cooked on skewers. For the sake of our little taste buds many beach shacks and restaurants present seafood lightly spiced, or without spices at all. Fish should be served as fresh as possible and it is usual for diners to choose their fish from tanks in restaurants. 
Lets start of with the traditional and my favourite Prawn Balchao.


Ingredients :

1 kg. Praws(shelled and deveined) 
2 tsps. Salt 
2 tsps. Tumeric powder 
300 ml. Oil
1 onion (cut fine)
8 curry leaves
1 garlic pod paste
5 inch ginger 
4 or 5 tbsps Galmbo Balchao (shrimp preserve)
3 tsps. Sugar



Preparation : 

Wash the prawns well and drain out the water completely. Apply salt and turmeric powder and allow to stand for 2 hours. Drain out any water that collects. 

Heat the oil in a large pan, fry the onions till tender, add prawns and fry them well. 

In another pan, heat the remaining oil, add curry leaves, ginger-garlic paste and Galmbo Balchao (shrimp preserve).

Stir-fry on slow fire for a few seconds. Mix the fried prawns and sugar. Simmer for 2 minutes and keep the pan down from the fire.

Cool and bottle. Please do not use water at all.

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Beef Chilly Fry

Ingredients :

1 lb. beef cubed (whichever you use for stewing) 
2 tsp salt 
6 large onions 
8 peppercorns 
1 inch piece ginger 
6 cloves garlic 
1 bunch coriander leaves 
1 bunch mint leaves 
6 green chilies 
1 potato
salt to taste 
1/2 tsp tamarind concentrate 
salt and pepper to taste 




Preparation : 

Boil the meat, peppercorns, one onion and salt for 20 minutes, drain and reserve the water. 

Slice the remaining onions and finely chop the ginger, garlic, chilies, coriander and mint. Fry the onions until translucent. 

Add the remaining chopped ingredients and meat. 

Pour in about 1 cup of the reserved water and simmer until the meat is done. 

Add the tamarind and continue cooking, uncovered over a high heat until the moisture has evaporated.

Top up with fried potatoes and serve. 

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Coconut and raisin cake

Ingredients :

1 medium (half-ripe) coconut
200g semolina
50g dalda
75g margarine
300g sugar (ground fine)
4 eggs (separated)
Pinch of salt
1 tsp. Baking powder
1tsp. vanilla or 4 cardamoms (crushed)
½ tsp. yellow food colour
4 tbsps. Raisins


Preparation : 

Grate and grind the coconut fine without using any water. Roast the semolina slightly on a dry pan. 

Beat dalda and margarine until soft. Add sugar and beat till creamy. Ad egg yolks, one at a time and continue beating. 


Mix roasted semolina, salt, baking powder, coconut, essence, colour and raisin. 

Beat egg whites stiff and fold into the coconut mixture, grease a baking pan well, sprinkle a little flour and pour the cake mixture. Allow to stand for 30 minutes. 

Heat the over at gas mark 4 and bake the cake for 45 mintues to 50 minutes or until well browned. Insert a toothpick to check if it comes out clean. 

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Goan Coconut Pancakes

Ingredients :

1 cup plain all-purpose flour 
1 pinch salt 
1 large egg 
1 egg yolk 
1 1/4 cups milk 
1 tablespoon melted butter 
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom 
For the Filling 
1 1/2 cups freshly grated coconut 
3/4 cup chopped roasted, unsalted cashews 
8 tablespoons muscavado sugar (or dark brown sugar or jaggery) 
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom 
2 tablespoons golden raisins, chopped (sultanas) 
To Cook and Serve 
3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil 
1 juicy lemon 




Preparation : 

At least thirty minutes before you plan to cook the pancakes, place all the batter ingredients in an electric blender and blend until smooth. 

Transfer blender contents to a bowl and set aside to rest. 

In another bowl, mix all the ingredients for the filling together, and also set aside. 

When you are ready to cook the pancakes, brush a 7"/18cm crepe pan or non-stick skillet with a little oil, and set over medium heat. 

When nice and hot, pour in 4-5 tablespoons of the batter, and spread it in all directions by tilting the pan. 
Cook the pancake for a few minutes, by which time the bottom should have some brown spots and the edges can be lifted. 
Flip pancake to the other side and cook another minute. 

Remove from the skillet and start cooking the second pancake. 
While the second pancake is cooking, place 2-3 tablespoons of filling on the first pancake, squeeze lemon juice over the filling, then roll up. 

Keep warm in a shallow, covered dish, while cooking and filling the remaining pancakes according to this method. 
Ensure the cooked pancakes are placed in a single layer while they are being kept warm, not piled on top of each other. 

Serve to your appreciative guests. 

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Meat Ball Curry

Ingredients :

1/2 kg beef (minced)
1 tsp salt
1 onion (chopped fine)
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tbsp each chopped coriander and mint leaves
1 tbsp vinegar
1 egg (beaten)
3 Kashmiri chillies
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
4 peppercorns
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 inch cinnamon
125 ml oil
1 onion (chopped)
1 tomato (chopped)
1/2 coconut (juice)
4 curry leaves
2 green chillies 



Preparation : 

Mix the mince with the next seven ingredients. Form into 12 balls.

Grind the dry chillies and the spices to a fine paste.

Heat the oil and fry the meat balls lightly, just shaking the pan off and on. Trensfer the fried meat balls carefully on to a paper napkin.

In another pan, brown the onion and add tomato. Mix spice paste, stir-fry for a minute and add coconut milk, curry leaves and green chillies.

Bring to a boil and carefully arrange the meatballs shaking the pan occasionally. Simmer for one minute.

Serve with boiled rice. 

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