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The influence of Portuguese culture on Goan cuisine and its culture has been tremendous. ‘Rissóis de Camarão’, as they are commonly known, are a traditional snack common in Portuguese cuisine that made its way to Goa many centuries ago. Pronounced riss-oish, these deep-fried pockets filled with a prawn mixture made with nutmeg, cheese and cream, are a regular feature for most special occasions like weddings and parties. Although simple in its composition, the level of skill required to make rissois are very specific. The perfect rissois is a balance between the thickness and crunch of the breaded shell to the ratio of the filling.
Mostly found in bakeries and restaurants around Goa, the half-moon patties are best eaten straight off the pan. Common fillings in the traditional Portuguese snack would include beef, vegetables, octopus or duck combined with a bechamel sauce. They can also be served as an accompaniment to rice and beans to make a complete meal. Popular variations of the rissois can be found across the world in places like brazil, Angola, France, Ireland and Indonesia. Find a recipe to make a batch of 30 rissois below:
Rissóis de Camarão
Recipe:
Ingredients [For Stuffing]:
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons butter
250 grams prawns, cleaned and chopped
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon nutmeg powder
¼ cup cheese, grated
2 tablespoons flour
¾ cup milk
Salt to taste
Ingredients [For Dough]:
2 cups water
2 cups flour
3 tablespoons butter
Salt to taste
Ingredients [For Frying]:
1 egg, beaten
1 cup breadcrumbs
Oil for deep frying
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Method:
Heat the butter in a pan and once it starts to get foamy, add in the chopped onions and garlic and sauté until they begin to turn aromatic. Add the flour and mix thoroughly with the butter and onions. Start adding the milk in a steady drizzle and stir simultaneously to avoid any lumps. Once you finish adding in the milk, cook the sauce on a low flame, stirring at regular intervals.
Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and add in the chopped prawns to the seasoned sauce. Check and adjust seasoning if needed and cook until the prawns turn pink. Turn off the heat and add in the cheese and mix until it melts into the mixture. Set aside to cool.
In a separate saucepan, bring water to a boil and add the butter and salt. Stir until the butter melts and gradually add in the flour until it leaves the edges of the pan and turns into a ball of dough. Add some extra flour if your dough is too sticky. Turn it out on a flat, cool surface and knead for a few minutes. Roll it out into 4-inch circles and fill with the creamy prawn mixture in the centre. Fold over and seal the edges, pressing down the sides. Coat with the beaten egg and breadcrumbs and deep fry in hot oil.
