Recheado Masala Fish Recipe

This Goan-style stuffed mackerel centers on a spicy, tangy recheado paste. Dried red chilies, ginger, garlic, and whole spices like cumin, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom are soaked with tamarind and vinegar, then ground into a thick, smooth masala. This paste is generously stuffed into whole mackerel, which are slit to hold the mixture. After a good marination, the fish are shallow-fried until the outside is crisp and golden brown, leaving the inside spiced and juicy. The trick is making sure your masala paste is thick enough to really cling to the fish.