Goan Curry Paste Recipes

GOAN FISH CURRY

Steps:

• Place Curry Paste ingredients in a tall jug or milkshake container (something that fits the head of a blender stick) then blitz on high for 5 to 10 seconds until the onion is pureed. Add more water if needed to make it puree.
• Sizzle black mustard seeds: Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add black mustard seeds and let them sizzle for 30 seconds - careful, they might pop!
• Saute onion: Add red onion and cook for 3 minutes until edges start to tinge with gold.
• Cook off curry paste: Add curry paste and cook for 3 minutes - to evaporate water, make spices bloom and cook garlic & ginger.
• Cook off tomato: Turn heat up to medium high. Add tomato paste and tomato pulp, cook for 2 minutes.
• Coconut milk: Add water, coconut milk, sugar, salt and chilli powder if using. Stir, then bring to simmer, low heat so it's bubbling gently.
• Simmer 2 minutes, add tomato & green chilli: Simmer for 2 minutes, add tomato and green chilli.
• Simmer 3 minutes: Simmer for another 3 minutes, stirring every now and then - sauce should be thickened (not watery), it gets looser again when fish is added (because fish will drop some juices = even more flavour!).
• Add fish: Add fish, stir, cook for 3 to 4 minutes until fish easily flakes.
• Garnish & serve: Remove from stove and transfer to serving bowl. Garnish with coriander/cilantro and fresh green chillies if desired. Serve with basmati rice!

GOAN BEEF CURRY

Steps:

• Place beef in a small pan, cover with water, and season with salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until beef is fork tender, 1 to 2 hours. Remove and cut beef into cubes; reserve remaining juices in the pan.
• Toast chile peppers, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, and cardamom pods in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder and process to a fine powder. Move to a mortar and pestle, add garlic and ginger, and grind into a paste.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and curry leaves; cook until the onions turn golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in spice paste until well combined. Add beef cubes and reserved juices; bring to a boil.
• Once boiling, add potatoes, tomato, and green beans. Season with additional salt to taste. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook gently until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Finish by adding tamarind juice. Cook a few minutes more before serving.

GOAN CHICKEN MASALA CURRY

Steps:

• Combine red chile peppers, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cinnamon stick, ginger, garlic, peppercorns, and cloves in a mortar and pestle or a food processor; grind or process into a paste (masala paste).
• Heat oil in a large pot. Add onion and until golden brown. Stir in masala paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add pieces of chicken; mix well and pour in enough cold water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil.
• Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with tamarind juice and salt. Stir well and cook for additional 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

GOAN PRAWN CURRY

Steps:

• Peel, devein, and rinse prawns. Rub with a generous amount of salt.
• Combine coconut, chile peppers, garlic, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a food processor and process to a paste (masala).
• Heat oil in a saucepan. Add onion and saute until browned, about 5 minutes. Add masala along with turmeric powder and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add water and bring to a boil.
• Add shrimp and okra. Cover and simmer until prawns and okra are cooked, about 5 minutes. Add kokum and turn up the heat to bring to a boil again.
• Turn off heat and let it stand for a few minutes until curry has thickened.