Tangy spicy stuffed mackerel fry is an easy stuffed mackerel recipe in which mackerel fish is stuffed with finely chopped onion, tamarind paste and spice powders. This mackerel is then coated with semolina and shallow fried.

In Goa, fish is found in abundance and hence we prepare various types of fish recipes in Goa. Various types of stuffed mackerel ideas can also be found. I learnt today’s recipe from my mom. She used to make various types of stuffed mackerel recipes for me in my childhood.

Portuguese ruled Goa for 450 years and during this time, Goans learnt lot of recipes from them. Recheado mackerel is also a Portuguese recipe. Recheado means stuffed. Goans learnt how to cook mackerel fish by stuffing it with different ingredients.

There are different ways to cook recheado mackerel or stuffed mackerel:

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Let us see the ingredients used in making today’s variety of tangy spicy stuffed mackerel:

Mackerel: Use fresh, firm mackerel fish.
For marination: For marinating the fish, I have used red chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt.
For stuffing: I have used onion, garlic, coriander leaves, tamarind paste and spice powders like red chili powder and turmeric powder to make a spicy and tangy stuffing.
For coating: After stuffing the mackerel, it must be coated with rava(semolina) and rice flour to which spice powders like red chili powder and turmeric powder are added again.

Other mackerel recipes:

Steps to make stuffed mackerel with tamarind, spices, and onion:

Wash mackerel, cut the head, fins and tail and clean the tummy. Refer to this video to know how to cut a mackerel.
Add slits on both sides of the mackerel bone starting from tail to head.
Marinate the mackerel by applying red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt and keep aside for 30 minutes. (Refer to ingredients in marination section)
In a small mixing bowl, add finely chopped onion, finely chopped coriander leaves, red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, and tamarind paste and mix well. If the mixture becomes dry, add 2 tablespoon water and mix. The mixture should not be watery as we will stuff this inside the mackerel.
Stuff 2 tablespoon of the spicy onion mixture on both sides of the mackerel bone. If any extra stuffing remains, apply it on top of the mackerel.
In a mixing plate, mix rava(semolina), rice flour, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt.
Roll the stuffed mackerel in the spiced rava and rice flour by holding firmly to avoid the stuffing from oozing out. Coat the mackerel nicely in the spiced rava.
Spread 2 tablespoon oil in a tava or frying pan. Place the rava coated stuffed mackerel in the frying pan and fry for 10 minutes on low flame. Drizzle some oil on the top and turn to other side and fry further for 8 – 10 minutes on low flame.
Notes to make tangy recheado bangdo (mackerel) with tamarind and onion:
The spice powder quantity can be altered as per spice tolerance.
Finely chopped green chilies can also be added if you can tolerate higher heat.
To make tamarind pulp, soak 1 marble sized ball of tamarind in ¼ cup water. I used this tamarind pulp. You can use store bought tamarind pulp. Adjust the quantity as per your taste. Mackerel can be stuffed with and stored in freezer for 1 or 2 days. It can be thawed and brought to room temperature before shallow frying.

How to serve Goan stuffed mackerel?

Serve this mackerel stuffed with onion with hot steamed rice, Goan prawns curry with raw mango, crab curry, sol kadi, dry prawn kismoor and salad for an authentic Goan fish thali.

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5 from 2 votes