Goa x Italy

Crisp polenta with prawn balchao

Goa's fiery prawn pickle meets a golden polenta square. Small bite, loud flavour.

75 minTime

14 gProtein each

hotSpice

Make it your way

Grandma's wayThe original. Handle with reverence.

The original

273kcalsame

14 gproteinsame

3 gfibresame

75minutessame

Per serving, worked out from the ingredient table.

Water2½ cups

Saltto taste

Maize flour (fine yellow cornmeal)1 cup plus 2 tbsp

Butter1 tbsp

Parmesan¼ cup, grated

Dried red chilli8 Kashmiri chillies

Cumin seeds½ tsp

Whole spices4 cloves, 2 cm cinnamon

Black pepper¼ tsp

Turmeric (ground turmeric)¼ tsp

Vinegar¼ cup

Garlic5 cloves

Ginger2 cm

Cooking oil (vegetable oil)3½ tbsp, divided

Onion1 large, finely chopped

Tomato1 small, chopped

Sugar2 tsp

Prawns (shrimp)300 g small prawns, cleaned

Coriander leaves (cilantro)a few sprigs

6 steps

1Bring the water and 1 tsp salt to a boil on medium heat. Whisk in the makki atta in a thin stream, then cook on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring often. Beat in the butter and parmesan and spread 1.5 cm thick in an oiled tray.
2Cool the polenta for 30 minutes until firm. Meanwhile soak the chillies, cumin, whole spices, pepper and turmeric in the vinegar for 15 minutes, then grind with garlic and ginger to a smooth paste.
3Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan on medium heat. Cook the onion for 8 minutes until golden, add tomato for 3 minutes, then the paste for 5 minutes. Stir in sugar and salt.
4Add the prawns on high heat and cook 3 minutes until pink and opaque and the masala coats them.
5Cut the polenta into 5 cm squares. Pan fry in the remaining oil on medium high heat for 3 minutes a side.
6Top each square with a spoon of balchao and a coriander leaf.

Serve it like this

Line the squares up on a long board, each with a neat mound of balchao and a coriander leaf. Add a few lemon wedges at one end.

Bloom picks tonight's dinner for your diet and allergies, then cooks it with you step by step.