Goan Kingfish Molho

Goan Kingfish Molho / Mole is a sweet-tangy-spicy fish pickle. It is similar to my earlier recipe of prawn molho (click here for recipe) but this one uses sugar instead of dates. It can be stored without refrigeration for a long period of time.

Serves: 20 Persons

Prep. Time: 30 Mins.

Cooking Time: 60 Mins.

Ingredients:

• King Fish Slices – 1 kg
• Toddy Vinegar – 400 ml. or to taste
• Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp.
• For the Masala Paste:
  • Kashmiri Red Chillies (stemmed & broken) – 25 to 28
  • Ginger (peeled) – 2 inch
  • Garlic (peeled) – 12 cloves (medium sized)
  • Cloves – 12
  • Black Pepper Corns – 20
  • Cinnamon – 2 inch piece
  • Cumin Seeds – 1 tbsp.
• Granulated Sugar – 120 to 150 gms
• Oil – 400 ml
• Salt – 2 ½ tsp. or to taste

Step 1:     Apply 1 ½ tsp. salt, turmeric powder to the washed and drained king fish slices and keep aside for 30 minutes (see notes below).

Step 2:     Boil and cool about 100 ml water. It will be needed to grind the masala.

Step 3:     Dry grind the chillies till powdered (helps to make a fine smooth masala). Then add all the remaining ingredients for the masala and grind to a fine and smooth paste using 200 ml vinegar and 50 ml boiled and cooled water. Keep aside.

Step 4:     Heat 100 ml oil in a frying pan and fry the fish slices, two to three at a time, on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side (don’t fry too long as we don’t want the fish to lose its juices and turn rubbery). Keep aside.

Step 5:     In the same pan add the remaining oil and heat. Once it is hot, switch off the heat and allow to cool a bit.

Step 6:     Switch on the heat again and heat the oil. When it has heated (not very hot), add the spice paste and cook on low heat for 8 to 10 minutes stirring continuously (make sure you do not burn the masala).

Step 6:     Then add the sugar and cook on low heat whilst stirring continuously till the sugar melts and the oil floats on top.

Step 7:     Add the remaining 200 ml of vinegar, 1 tsp. salt and mix for 2 minutes. Add the fried fish slices and mix lightly. Continue cooking on low heat for another 10 minutes. Check for sugar, salt, sourness and adjust accordingly (cook for a few minutes if you’ve added something). Then cool completely and store in a sterile glass bottle topped with the oil.

Notes:

• In case the fish is not too fresh, apply / squeeze the juice of one lime at Step 1.
• You can also make smaller pieces of the fish after frying.