Rissóis de Camarão (Shrimp Turnovers)

If you have ever wondered how to make rissois the camarao, there is no need to wonder any more. The recipe for rissóis de camarão or shrimp or prawn turnovers is one we Goans have inherited from the Portuguese. It is a great melt in the mouth treat if made correctly and a hot favourite at parties and wedding receptions. As an appetizer, you can make the rissóis small but if they are going to part of your supper then you would do well to make the rissóis de camarão a bit larger; it will also save you the trouble of all the extra work if you make them large. This rissóis de camarão recipe makes about 3 dozen small rissois or 1.5 dozen large rissois. Note that the singular of rissois is rissole 'cos I find a lot of people referring to a single one as rissois! When I tried this recipe the first time, everybody liked them and my mum, she doesn't care for the ones from Dom Pedro any more... A little bit of trouble but they are simply worth every bit of effort you put in. Make them and treat yourself and your family!

How to make rissois de camarao

Ingredients:

For the pastry
2 cups maida / all-purpose flour

2 cups milk
4 tablespoons butter
a pinch of salt

For the filling
1/2 cup prawns or shrimp, peeled and deveined, cooked with a pinch of salt and a little bit of water till done and dry and coarsely chopped

1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon coriander leaves, finely chopped

Salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, preferably white
2 tablespoons corn flour
2 tablespoons water

For the frying
2 large eggs, beaten 

Fine breadcrumbs or semolina (I normally prefer breadcrumbs but I didn't have them in my kitchen when I made this lot).

Oil

Method:

Make the filling

• Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until it turns a light golden.
• Turn down the heat to low, pour in the milk, and heat to just before boiling point. Add the chopped coriander leaves, salt and pepper.
• Mix the corn flour with the water. Add to the milk mixture and simmer over low heat, stirring continuously till it thickens, should take a minute or 2. Add the chopped shrimp, let heat through for a minute, and take off heat. Keep aside to cool completely.

Make the pastry 

• In a saucepan, place the butter, milk and salt. Warm until the milk just about reaches boiling point. Then reduce the heat to low.
• Using a spoon, stir the flour vigorously into the milk. Continue stirring over low heat till it forms a dough. When the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the saucepan and turns into a ball, take off stove.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. Knead the warm dough until smooth and the dough springs back slightly when pressed with your finger. Divide the dough into two balls, and keep one covered under an inverted bowl to keep warm.

Assemble and fry the pastries

• Take the other half of the dough and roll it out to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a cutter, cut disks that are 3.5 to 4 inches in diameter (these work well for home consumption but you can make them smaller if you are making these as appetizers for a party). Knead the remnants into a dough and make more circles till all the dough is exhausted.
• Place 1 teaspoon of the prawn filling in the center of a circle. Fold the dough circle over to form a half circle, pressing the edges together after applying a dab of water to the edge. Keep aside on a tray or plate. Repeat until all the dough and filling are used.

Getting the prawn rissois assembled

Prawn rissois ready for frying

• Dip each rissole into beaten egg with one hand and then drop it into the breadcrumbs. With the other hand, turn it over so as to coat it well with the bread crumbs. Otherwise, you end up getting a lot of bread crumbs into the beaten egg. Set aside.
• Put 2 or 3 inches of oil in a deep skillet on medium-high heat till the oil is hot or until a bit of the pastry sizzles when you drop it into the oil. Fry the rissóis, a few at a time so that there is no overlap, until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towel.
• Serve hot or at room temperature.
• You can also freeze the rissóis on a sheet pan in a single layer without overlapping and covered with a plastic wrap. Rissóis stored in the freezer can make for a quick snack if you have some good friends or relatives visiting unexpectedly.
• Enjoy!