Balchão facts for kids
Goan calamari balchao with parboiled rice
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| Alternative names | Balichão |
|---|---|
| Type | Sauce or curry |
| Place of origin | India |
| Region or state | Goa, Malvan |
| Main ingredients | Fish, prawns, or pork |
Balchão is a special and tasty dish from India. It comes from the regions of Goa and Malvan. This dish is made with either prawns, fish, or pork. It's cooked in a sauce that is both spicy and a little sour, thanks to vinegar. Many people think of it like a pickle because it can be made ahead of time and kept for days!
Contents
What is Balchão?
Balchão is more than just a recipe; it's a way of cooking. It uses a spicy and sour sauce made with tomatoes and chili peppers. You can make it with different main ingredients:
- Fish: Called de peixe in Portuguese.
- Prawns: Called de camarão in Portuguese.
- Pork: Called de porco in Portuguese.
This dish is great because you can prepare it days before you want to eat it. It tastes even better as the flavors mix together! Some recipes for prawn balchão even use tamarind for a unique sour taste.
Ingredients for Balchão
A key ingredient in traditional Balchão is a paste made from dried shrimp. This paste is known as galmbo in the Konkani language, which is spoken in Goa.
Here are some common ingredients you might find in Balchão:
- Prawns, fish, or pork
- Oil
- Chopped onions
- Tomatoes
- Garlic (paste or cloves)
- Ginger (paste or fresh)
- Dried red chili peppers
- Cumin seeds
- Mustard seeds
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Sugar
- Vinegar
- Salt
How to Make Balchão
Making Balchão involves a few steps to get that perfect spicy and sour flavor.
Preparing the Main Ingredient
First, if you're using prawns, they need to be cleaned and have their veins removed. Then, they are salted and set aside.
Making the Spice Paste
Next, the dry spices like cumin, mustard, cinnamon, and cloves are lightly roasted. This brings out their flavor. After they cool down, they are ground into a smooth paste with ginger, garlic, and vinegar.
Cooking the Dish
Now, it's time to cook!
- Heat some oil in a pan.
- Add the prawns and fry them until they turn opaque (not see-through anymore). Then, take them out of the pan.
- In the same pan, fry the chopped onions until they are light brown.
- Add the tomatoes and cook them until they become soft.
- Stir in the spice-vinegar paste, along with sugar and salt.
- Cook this mixture until the oil starts to separate from the spices. This means the flavors have blended well.
- Finally, add the fried prawns back into the pan. Cook everything together for a few more minutes.
Balchão is usually served hot with plain boiled rice. It can be stored in the refrigerator and enjoyed later.
History of Balchão
Balchão was brought to India by the Portuguese. This happened during the time when they colonized parts of India, especially Goa. It's believed that the dish might have come from a place called Malacca, which is now known as Melaka in Malaysia.
Types of Vinegar Used
The type of vinegar used in Balchão can sometimes depend on family traditions:
- In Catholic homes, people might use coconut vinegar. This gives the dish a strong, sharp taste.
- In Hindu families, cane vinegar might be used. This makes the dish a bit milder.
Today, it's also common to use white vinegar or malt vinegar to make Balchão.
Images for kids
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Pork balchão
See also
In Spanish: Balchão para niños
