Farofa (Fried Manioc Flour)

I attended a cooking demostration class in Swadisht and this is one of the dishes. It is a great side dish to be served with Feijoada.

Ingredients: (Serve 6)

• 2 tbsp cooking oil
  
• 3 bananas (caturra, cut into small pieces)
  
• 2 tbsp margarine
• 300 g of manioc flour (flakes)
• 2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
• 1 small onion, (chopped)
• parsley and green onions
  
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. In a saucepan, fry bananas in cooking oil. Set aside.
2. In a separate pan, heat butter and add onion. Fry until golden brown. Add garlic and stir for about 1 minute. Add eggs and cook for about 1 min, stir. Add flour, green onion, parsley, salt and pepper.
3. Add banana and stir. Ready to serve.
   

Feijoada (Brazilian black bean stew)

This is the national dish of Brazil. It is usually served on a Saturday (sometimes on a Thursday as well in some restaurants). I followed the recipe from a book called "Cozinha Brazileira" (ISBN 972-8819-05-6). The recipe book was a gift from Renata. Obrigada, Renata!

Ingredients:
3 cups black beans (feijao)
1 small onion (finely chopped)
4 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
4 bay leaves
2 tbsp dried pasley
about 2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
Rice, couve and slices of oranges to serve
Meat: (other types of meat can be used, eg. carne seca (brazilian dried beef), ribs)
2 pig feet
2 pork sausages

Method:
1. The night before, soak the black beans in water. The next morning, drain the beans and set aside.

2. In a large pot, cook onion over medium heat. When the onion become transparent, add garlic. Cook for about a minute, then add black beans and mix. Add bay leaves, dried pasley salt and sufficient water so that the water level is about 2 inches higher than the level just to cover the beans. Bring to a boil. Then reduce to low heat and cook the mixture for about 1.5 hours or until creamy. Stir occasionally. Add water if necessary.

2. In a separate pot, cook pig feet in water over medium heat for about 1 hour until soft. Once done, drain the water and rinse under cold water to remove excess fat. Add the pig feet to the black beans.

3. Cut the sausages into 1/2 inch pieces and add to the black beans.

4. Continue the cooking until the mixture becomes creamy. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

5. To serve feijoada, put a ladleful of feijoada on top of rice . Arrange oranges and couve around the sides.

Picadinho Tailandes

Uma receita da minha amiga. Obrigada, Ana!

Ingredientes:

• 1 cebola ( média ) picadinha
• 500 g de carne ( alcatra, coxão-mole ) em tirinhas
• 3 colheres ( sopa ) de margarina
• 2 tomates ( sem pele nem sementes ) picados
• 3 colheres ( sopa ) de farinha de trigo
• 3 cravos-da-Índia
• 1 colher ( café ) de canela em pó
• 1 colher de ( sopa ) de Curry
• 2 cubinhos de caldo de carne
• 1 maçã descascada e cortada em cubinhos
• 1 banana-nanica picada
• 1/2 xícara ( chá ) de coco ralado
• 1/2 xícara ( chá ) de uva-passa branca
• 1/2 xícara ( chá ) de iogurte natural
• 1/2 xícara ( chá ) de cheiro-verde picadinho

Modo de preparo:

1. Doure a cebola e a carne na margarina.
2. Acrescente os tomates e refogue bem.
3. Junte a farinha, os cravos-da-índia, a canela, o curry e mexa bem.
4. Acrescente o caldo de carne, dissolvido em 4 xícaras ( chá ) de água fervente, e cozinhe em fogo baixo, até a carne ficar macia.
   
5. Junte os demais ingredientes, mexendo bem por mais 10 minutos
6. Polvilhe com o cheiro-verde e sirva a seguir.
   

Chicken in Lemon Mustard Sauce with pasta

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg chicken thigh
• any kind of pasta (enough for 2)
• 1 carrot (cut into 1 cm cubes)
• 1/2 onion (cut into small pieces)
• 3 celery sticks (cut into small cubes)
  

Marinate:

• Juice of 1 lime
• Juice of 1/2 orange
• 1 tbsp mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp lemon pepper
  

Method:

1. Marinate chicken with for at least 1/2 hour.
2. Grill chicken over medium heat. Save marinate.
3. Pan fry vegetable. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside
   
4. Cook pasta as per package instruction in a separate pan until el dente. Drain pasta and toss in marinate and vegetable. Cook over medium heat for about 30 seconds until the sauce is reduced. Enjoy!