Easter is celebrated differently around the world. In Brazil, the largest Catholic country in the world, meat is definitely a no in 99% of the households. I still taste the flavor of Vatapá and Xixim de Galinha with rice, the smell of dende and cashews cooking while my father stirs frentically to avoid burning….hours of preparation, not a Rachel Ray’s meal.
We don’t have Easter Egg Hunts, our eggs are a pound or more with toys and other different things inside.
Friday is called Sexta Feira da paixão and it is the most important day, when families get together, a lot of businesses close that day and Sunday is called Domingo de Páscoa.
Some Words:
Easter – Páscoa
Egg- Ovo
Rabbit- Coelho
Basket – Cesta
Family, a home cooked meal, gathering and talking, all the ingredients to a great Easter Party anywhere in the world!
Vatapás recipe:
Vatapa
ingredients
-
Dried shrimp
100 grams or 1/4 pound -
Halibut
Or other firm-fleshed, non-oily fish.
700 grams or 1 1/2 pounds -
Coconut milk
5 deciliters or 2 cups -
Dende (palm nut) oil
30 milliliters or 2 tablespoons -
Chopped onions
12 centiliters or 1/2 cup -
Minced garlic
15 milliliters or 1 tablespoon -
Water
5 deciliters or 2 cups -
Bay leaf
1 medium sized -
Chopped fresh chili peppers
6 centiliters or 1/4 cup -
Salt
5 milliliters or 1 teaspoon -
Peanuts
Freshly ground unsalted, shelled, skinned and roasted.
8 centiliters or 1/3 cup -
Fine-grained cornmeal
6 centiliters or 1/4 cup
Vatapa
cooking steps
-
Chop the shrimp in a food processor or electric blender.
-
Bone and skin the fish. Discard the skin. Reserve the bones for step 3. Cut the fish into 2 1/2 centimeter (1 inch) cubes and reserve them for step 8.
-
Add the shrimp, coconut milk, and fish bones to a thick-bottomed 1 1/2 to 2 liter (1 1/2 to 2 quart) saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer the mixture for 30 minutes, stirring now and then.
-
Heat the oil in a thick-bottomed 2 to 3 liter (1 to 3 quart) saucepan over low to moderate heat. Sauté the onions for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and sauté this mixture for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
-
Stir 4 deciliters (1 3/4 cups) of the water into the onion-garlic mixture. Stir in the bay leaf, chili peppers, salt, and peanuts. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook it for 10 minutes.
-
Discard the bay leaf from the onion-garlic preparation. Strain into this preparation the shrimp coconut mixture. Simmer the combination for 5 minutes.
-
Soak the cornmeal in the remaining 6 centiliters or 1/4 cup water for 5 minutes. Slowly stir the moist cornmeal into the pot. Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
-
Add the fish cubes to the pot. Thoroughly submerge them and gently cook the preparation over low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally and very gently. Serve the Vatapa immediately.
Bom Apetite!
Claudia Krusch
CK Translations
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