Goan Prawn Balchão with Tangy Red Chili Paste

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-02 · Updated 2026-05-02

A fiery and tangy Goan pickled prawn dish cooked in a vibrant red chili and vinegar sauce, perfect with steamed rice. This Indian-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 35 minutes, pairs raw prawns, red dried chilies, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 210 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 500 g, cleaned and deveined raw prawns
• 10, soaked in warm water red dried chilies
• 8, peeled garlic cloves
• 1 inch piece ginger
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil

The pan we’d use for this → Best Nonstick Cookware for 2026: Top 5 Skillet Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Drain 10 soaked red dried chilies and blend with 8 garlic cloves and 1 inch ginger until smooth, adding a little vinegar if necessary to make a thick paste.
2. Step 2: Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds and 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds; toast until mustard seeds pop.
3. Step 3: Add the chili-garlic-ginger paste and sauté for 5 minutes until the oil starts to separate and the paste turns darker.
4. Step 4: Stir in 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, and 1 tsp salt; cook for 3 minutes to combine.
5. Step 5: Add 500 g cleaned prawns and cook uncovered for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the prawns are cooked through and coated in the thick spicy sauce.