In search of lost stew: chicken amendoins in peanut sauce

Rosa and Maria were our empregadas in Mozambique. They looked after my older brother Simon and me, and kept the house. The story goes that when we first arrived in Maputo – taken there by my father’s work – my mother insisted on doing the cooking, despite offers from Rosa to take it on during the week. It wouldn’t be necessary, my mother said, as she enjoyed it, after all. So Ma continued to cook her repertoire of family dishes, accumulated over various travels, alongside English classics, such as bangers and mash. That was Simon’s favourite dish.
But, increasingly, she started to question her continuing rejection of Rosa’s offers to cook for us. The smells that would come from the kitchen when Rosa and Maria cooked for themselves were so incredible that, at some point, my mother simply gave in. And once she had started, it would have been madness for her to stop, because, for one, chicken amendoins superseded sausage and potatoes in my brother’s estimation, and, for me, Rosa’s cooking firmly established Mozambique as a place of food wonders.
Before I continue, I first have an admission. Chicken amendoins is a misnomer. As a young boy, I was almost fluent in Portuguese, but we spoke English at home, which is reflected in my family’s jumbled name for the dish. The dish is actually known in Maputo as caril de amendoim, which translates as stew, or sauce, of peanuts. It has a creamy colour, which makes it far removed from other peanut based sauces such as a groundnut stew, satay sauce, or even peanut butter. Before I learnt how to make it myself, relatively recently, I had numerous theories about what it could contain, and became convinced it was coconut that gave it a distinctive colour. It is actually just raw, pounded peanuts in water that give it such a unmistakable colour and flavour.
I continued to enjoy Rosa’s chicken amendoins, cooking and company immensely for the remaining few years we spent in Mozambique. We left Maputo in the early 90s, when I was seven. Except for a couple of visits in the early period after we left, we did not return. My Portuguese was forgotten (I continue to be very disappointed about this), and my memories of Mozambique faded. There was the occasional discussion along the lines of “remember Rosa, chicken amendoins and that bean soup, blah blah blah” although, naturally, over time those memories became increasingly distant.
I thought that was it. It had all been relegated to the back of my mental filing cabinet, alongside some other dusty thoughts that I’ll only ever be able to recall in a very dim light. But that wasn’t it. I was wrong. Researchers have long debated the relationship between smell, taste and memory, and it was not for nothing that Proust wrote about madeleines. One summer, when I was a student, my memories of Mozambique were brought back in vivid HD. It must have been in my second year at Goldsmiths, University of London, where I’d become good friends with a guy named Miles. We had organised a picnic in Greenwich Park with his brother Duval, and Duval’s closest school friend, Yemi. Miles was excited because they’d cooked one of his family favourites to bring along to the picnic – groundnut stew, a West African sauce made with pasted roasted groundnuts, onions, scotch bonnet pepper, and often chicken – which I tasted before we packed up the food.
That was it. Right there in his kitchen, before we left for the park. It was so evocative of chicken amendoins that I couldn’t believe it. I still remember cradling the teaspoon, stuttering “bbb-but, but do you know what this is? How do you make this? Oh, Lord!”
Bang! Time travel.
It would be apocryphal to say that this event was the beginning of our partnership, although it was definitely the first in a chain of events that led to Yemi, Duval and me cooking and hosting dinners together under the name the Groundnut.
I recently had the opportunity to meet Rosa and Maria again, courtesy of Eliseu, a good family friend who hosted my mother and me when we returned to Maputo for the first time in over 20 years. What did we do? We hugged, I fumbled with Portuguese and we ate together. What did I achieve? I learned to make chicken amendoins. It was just like I remembered. Incredible.
Chicken amendoins
To all intents and purposes, until I learned the recipe, chicken amendoins was a work of magic in my mind. But it is brilliantly simple. Try to ensure the peanuts are pounded as finely as possible to give the finished dish a velvety texture although, as you’ll see in the method, you can control the texture as you please.
chicken amendoins
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The dish is actually known in Maputo as caril de amendoim, which translates as stew, or sauce, of peanuts. Photograph: Elena Heatherwick for the Guardian
Serves 4
1 chicken, jointed into 8 pieces
375g raw peanuts
½ tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
2 green bird’s eye chillies, left whole
Steamed rice and/or steamed plantain, to serve
1 If your butcher hasn’t done it for you, cut the whole chicken into 8 pieces and remove the skin. Season the meat with ¼ tbsp salt and black pepper. Cover and set aside.
2 Either using a large pestle and mortar or a food processor, pound or blitz the peanuts into a coarse powder.
3 Peel and cut the garlic into fine slices.
4 Add the ground peanuts and garlic to a deep saucepan with 1.2 litres of boiling water and leave to cook over a low heat for 1 hour. Make sure the mix does not boil.
5 If you prefer a smooth sauce, at this point you can strain the liquid and remove all or some of the ground peanuts, leaving just the milk. Having said that, I like to keep a good deal of the ground peanuts in to give the final dish more texture.
6 Add the whole green chillies, remaining ¼ tbsp of salt and the chicken, then leave to simmer for 40 minutes.
7 Remove from the heat and serve with white rice or steamed plantain.

Dungeness Crab Has Become Very Popular

Dungeness Crab has become very popular with many folks who are more familiar with other types of crab. The whole top shell should remove in one piece. (Clean & save the shell for an oven baked side dish or ramekin for dipping sauce.) Having this knowledge will enhance your fishing experience and when you know how to identify them, you'll have an easier time fishing for crabs. Read on to find out more about tanner, king and dungeness crabs.

Like other Alaskan crabs, tanners have five sets of pointy legs including one set with pincers. Smaller than king crabs, tanners typically range from a to 4 pounds in weight. The king crab population consists of three different species. The three types of kings are red, blue and golden crabs. All three species are prevalent in Alaska's waters.

Like king and tanner crabs, dungeness have five sets of legs with one set containing pincers. You can tell the difference between dungeness crabs and other species because they have small short legs and they lack a spiny shell. Dungeness crabs are around the same size as tanners and not as large as kings. Mature adults generally weigh about 2 to 3 pounds and are over 6 inches long. Fishing for crabs can be a lot of fun and a nice change from rod and reel once in a while. Plus, nothing makes a better meal than fresh steamed crabs.

Population of Japanese Sushi

A very important factor to consider in starting such business is the picking out of the right sushi making machine and maki machine in order to be able to produce delicious tasting and high quality sushi and other profound delicacies of Japan. They are able to make hand made sushi and other delicacies with the right flavor, tenderness and taste, without the aid of any sushi making machine and yet with the best results possible.

Once you have the right place and the right sushi making equipment, all there is to it is to have a reliable store personnel that you can trust. Once you have all of these three factors in hand, then you can start your very own sushi business any time. No longer are these sushi businesses limited to Japanese people only, since anyone and everyone can have their very own sushi business by having all of these necessary factors.

As the entire purpose of a parasite is to remain hidden and not detected, many of the symptoms it can cause you wouldn't even think of such as emotional and mental problems, worsened allergies and asthma amongst other things. Symptoms can include physical, mental and emotional problems just like parasites such as chronic fatigue, depression and a difficulty concentrating. Immune suppression is very common which can lead to a host of other problems down the road including cancer.

Salmonella is but one example of many. It's one of the most commonly experienced dangers of sushi. What most people do not realize is that often who are most susceptible to being affected by bad bacteria also suffer from another fungus in their body known as candida. So even if you end up doing a parasite cleanse you now have the job of clearing out candida from your body.

There Are So Many Benefits Of Eating Korean Kimchi

Korean kimchi is becoming eaten since centuries because the main element of Korean meals menus. This conventional fermented food is served with every meal in Korean cuisine. The probiotic function of kimchi recipe had launched it as a part of American palate. Korean Kimchi earned this popularity after being acknowledged as one of the 5 top wholesome meals throughout the world beside soy, yogurt, lentils and Spanish olive oil. The advantages of consuming kimchi are broad spread and are still becoming found.

Benefits of eating Korean kimchi

Probiotic benefits: Probiotic bacterias created in well fermented kimchi are important to keep up the balance of microorganisms in one's intestinal tracks which helps in slowing down the development of harmful bacterias by boosting his digestive method.

Consists of qualities like yogurt: Numerous properties of this Korean dish makes it good for your intestines. The bacterias found in kimchi are much like the lactobacilli germs present in yogurt. People in america are more familiar to the qualities of yogurt and for that cause they're accepting kimchi recipe into their palate.

Antibiotic features: The bacterias produced in nicely fermented Korean kimchi advantages you with its antibiotic functions as they deteriorate the development of dangerous bacterias in your digestive method. The anti-germ functions of kimchi also benefits meat eater in the problems of hyper-acidity triggered due to excessive consumption of meat.

Reduces abus and gastric issues: The home of slowing down the manufacturing of harmful bacterias also advantages in reducing the problems triggered by indigestion, gastritis and fluid retention because of to extreme production of those bacterias.
Helps decreasing longing for food: Lactobacillus produced by nicely fermented Korean kimchi enable it to control appetite. It helps in stabilizing sugar degree in blood which implies towards the much less regular intense hunger alongwith the production of lesser hormones for body fat storage.

Assists in keeping you wholesome: It's been demonstrated via various research that it helps in cleansing up yeast and other urinary tract infections alongwith cleansing the intestines. In addition, it shortens the duration of chilly.

Retains your heart healthy: Garlic and chili pepper utilized in kimchi recipe also reduces the blood cholesterol degree which assists in removing blood clotting and keeping your heart wholesome.

Provides reduced calorie diet with higher amount of nutritional vitamins, and minerals: Igredients utilized in Korean kimchi are reduced in calories and sugar but it consists of fiber, vitamins An and C and minerals such as calcium and iron in higher quantities. Beta Carotene is also present in higher quantity in it. The levels of B1, B2, and B12 get doubled after fermentation of three months.

Assists in preventing various adult diseases: The lactic acid present in in addition, it helps in preventing obesity, diabetes, and gastrointestinal cancers.

Can be taken in numerous healthy types like kimchi soup, kimchi stew, kimchi stir fried rice, kimchi dumplings, and so on. besides as side dish. Therefore, Korean kimchi features a number of health benefits for the individuals eating it not just as being a side dish but in their primary food course in numerous other forms.

A Recipe For The Classical French Veal Blanquette

Veal blanquette is a classic French dish, which has become one of the greatest known trademarks of French cuisine. It is a stew based main dish, in which the veal is cooked in a roux and cream based white sauce. This recipe has been introduced to the American food market by Julia Child and now other ingredients like pearl onions and quartered mushrooms are also added to the dish.

Ingredients:

• 4 lbs. of veal stew meat, cut into 1 inch sized cubes
• 3-4 stalks of celery, cut into large pieces
• 1 teaspoon of dried tarragon
• 1 cup + 1/2 cup of dry white vermouth
• 3-4 leeks, cut into 1 inch sized pieces
• 3-4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch sized pieces
• 1 lb. of button mushrooms, quartered
• 1 lb. of pearl onions, peeled
• 4 cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper
• 2-3 small bay leaves, dried or fresh
• 2 small cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
• 5 cups of water
• 2 large egg yolks
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
• Salt, to taste
• 4 tablespoons of all purpose flour
• A large handful of finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 7 tablespoons of heavy cream

1. Fetch a large pot and line its bottom with half of the veal cubes. Top that with half of the carrots, leeks, onion slices, garlic and half of the celery. Spread the vegetables evenly over the veal pieces to make room for the other ingredients. Then sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of tarragon, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/4th teaspoon of dried thyme and 1/4th teaspoon of white pepper over the layer of veal and vegetables. Next, drop 1 bay leaf and 2 cloves into the pot. Once done, repeat the same process of layering by starting with the remaining veal pieces and finishing with the remaining cloves and bay leaves.

2. Once done, place the pot on the stove and set the flame on high. Pour the white vermouth and the water over the entire mixture and then let the mixture come to a boil. Once the mixture starts boiling, turn down the flame to medium and let the mixture simmer slowly for 30-40 minutes.

3. Now take a large bowl and place it beside the pot. Fish out as many veal and vegetables pieces from the stew as possible and then strain the mixture to seperate out the remaining spices, meat pieces and vegetables from the stock. Discrad the bay leaves and the cloves and retain the stock for later use.

4. While the stock is boiling, take a saucepan and fill it halfway up with water. Place the saucepan on the stove beside the pot and then let the water heat up. Once the water reaches the boiling point, drop the pearl onions in it and boil them for 1 minute. Once the time gets over, drain away the water from the saucepan by dumping the pearl onions into a colander. Now let the onions cool down a little by letting them sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.

5. Next place a small pan on the stove. Light up the flame and set it on medium low. Then drop 2 tablespoons of butter into the pan and let it melt. Once the butter melts, throw-in the peeled pearl onions and add the sugar to them. Stir and cook the mixture for 5-8 seconds and then pour enough water to cover the onions. Now turn up the flame to medium high and cook the mixture stirring it occassionally for 20-30 minutes or until most of the water evaporates out and the onions become soft. Once done, remove the pan from the stove and place a large skillet instead.

6. Turn up the flame to high and let the skillet heat up. Once the skillet heats up, put 2 tablespoons of butter in it and wait until the butter melts completely. Once that happens, put half of the mushrooms into the skillet and brown them on both sides by stirring them occassionally for 5-7 minutes or until they are nicely browned on both sides. Once done, transfer the browned mushrooms to a plate and brown the rest of the mushrooms in the same manner. You can brown all the mushrooms at a time but make sure that you don't overcrowd the skillet; otherwise, the mushrooms will sweat instead of browning.

7. Next, whisk-in 2 cups of the remaining veal stock. Stir the sauce lightly and then season it with a small pinch of salt. Once everything is mixed, let the sauce boil vigorously for 4-5 minutes or until it becomes a little thick. Then turn down the flame to medium low to simmer the sauce by whisking it frequently for 8-10 minutes or until it turns creamy and thick.

8. Once thoroughly combined, spoon out about 2 tablespoons of the boiling veal stock to the egg and cream sauce and then whisk it vigorously and quickly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Once thoroughly combined, add another 2 tablespoons of the veal stock and whisk the mixture once again. Then combine the rest of the stock to the sauce. Give a light stir to the sauce to combine the added stock with it and then skim out any scrambled eggs from the sauce.