Balachaung *Hot Recipe
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Category: |
Category: |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Burmese-American Version
2 large onions or 3 medium onions, sliced thin
20 garlic cloves, chop evenly but not too small
2 cups of peanut/canola oil
8-10 oz crushed dried red chili
6 cans of tuna in oil drain (tuna in water must be drained thoroughly)
2 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. red chili powder, not hot
1 tsp. cayenne powder, hot
1-2 T. dried shrimp paste (ngapi) has strong fish taste & smell
1/3 cup vinegar or more to taste
Fish sauce to taste (or salt)
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Directions: |
Directions:First open the cans of tuna and drain them. Then, peel onions and garlic and cut into thin slices. Heat oil to frying temperature and fry onion on high, then lower heat to medium and keep frying gently until just browned. Lift out with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on paper towels. Do the same with the garlic, drain separately on paper towels. As they cool, they will get crispy and darken.
NOW IS THE TIME TO OPEN ALL THE WINDOWS AND DOORS!
Heat up the same oil (add more if you need to) and quick fry/stir the turmeric and ngapi together. Then add crushed chili and fry for 4-5 minutes {Warning: this is when the chili makes you sneeze and cough}. Add the 6 cans of drained tuna, the vinegar and mix all ingredients together frying on medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from stove and allow the balachaung to cool completely 4+ hrs. Once cooled, mix in the crispy fried onion and garlic and store in airtight jar and refrigerate. *The vinegar is important if you want to preserve the balachaung for a couple of months or longer. Note: the balachaung must be cooled properly before you add the crispy fried onion and garlic, or else the garlic will soften and you will lose the crunchiness of the garlic tidbits. |
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Number Of
Servings: |
Number Of
Servings:Use sparingly, the heat can overwhelm your taste buds and rose bud at the other end. |
Preparation
Time: |
Preparation
Time:40-50 minutes appx. |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Our American version of balachaung evolved because when we arrived in San Francisco in 1963, Mom and Dad could not find dried prawns in the grocery stores or even in the Mexican markets on Mission Street. So, Mom substituted tuna in place of dried prawns. We all enjoyed the tuna so much it became standard fare. So when Tina and JoJo were old enough to cook for their families, they continued the tradition of using tuna in their balachaung. It's a hit with the family and even the in-laws!
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