The Goan sour plum is known locally as ambade (Indian hog plum), a seasonal, tangy fruit harvested during the monsoon and used to make traditional spicy-sour curries, chutneys, and simple salt-water brine pickles
Ingredients
450g dried salted prawns
200g bimbilis or ambade (Indian hog plum)
½ bottle vinegar
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Grind all spices in sufficient vinegar to make a paste 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp peppercorns 2 pieces cinnamon 2 cloves 1 tsp turmeric ½ tsp mustard seeds 25 red chillies Cut Masala ½ bottle oil 2” piece ginger chopped fine 2 whole bulbs garlic- chopped fine 8 medium onions chopped fine 2 small tomatoes 1 tbsp sugar 6 green chillies |
Cooking Steps
Step 1
Fry the chopped onions, garlic and ginger in ½ bottle of oil.
Step 2
Add the ground masala which should be ground in vinegar.
Step 3
Add the chopped tomatoes and green chillies.
Add any remaining vinegar
Step 4
Add salt to taste as the prawns will already be salted.
Add sugar last of all. Mix well.
Step 5
Cook for few minutes and let the mixture cool..
When the balchao is cool, bottle in a sterilised jar. The oil must be floating on top when bottled or else heat some extra oil, cool and add to the mixture .
Allow the pickle to mature for at least 2-3 weeks before consuming.