The Goans from western India are experts at pickling different types of meat and fish. Here is a simple recipe for a delicious pickle made with fresh prawns. It tastes great with boiled rice.
Ingredients:
- 1 kg (just over 2 pounds) king prawns
- 750 ml white vinegar
- 2 dozen dry red chillies
- 4 tsps cumin seeds
- A thumb-sized piece of ginger
- 15-20 cloves of garlic (one large pod)
- 7 tbsps oil
- Salt
Preparation:
- Wash, shell and devein the prawns. Pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Mix salt to taste and the turmeric powder and rub into the prawns. Keep aside to marinate for an hour.
- Grind the red chillies, ginger, garlic and cumin seeds into a thick, smooth paste in a food processor by adding a little vinegar at a time.
- Heat 4 tbsps of oil on a medium flame and stir fry the prawns till golden. Drain on paper towels and allow to cool.
- Fry the spice paste you made earlier with 3 tbsps ofoil, till the oil beging to separate from the masala. Now add the remaining vinegar (season if necessary) and cook on a medium flame for 15 minutes more. Allow it to cool fully.
- Place the prawns in a glass pickling jar and pour the cool spice mix over them.
- Mix well and allow to 'rest' for a few days before eating.
- Eat with rice and daal or just plain boiled rice.
