Pan Asian: Moqueca de Peixe (fish stew) — Brasil

Moqueca de Peixe

Ok, Brasil is not in Asia–I am aware of this–but sometimes, you have to step out of the box and give credit to a dish that deserves it.

That said, while  in Brasil, one of the best dishes I ate was Moqueca de Peixe, a kind of fish stew made with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and coconut milk that originated in Africa. It was brought over by slaves who ended up settling in the north eastern state of Bahia, from where a lot of good food comes. Even though this simple recipe uses very basic ingredients, it yields a fabulous dish. And while moqueca already has a little bit of a kick to it, I added a whole habanero pepper to mine to make it searingly delicious. You can also substitute shrimp for fish. Also, for a truly authentic taste, use palm (or dende) oil, which is popular in both Africa and Bahia.

The Recipe

Adapted from  Cuisines of Portuguese Encounters (Hippocrene Books) by Cherie Y. Hamilton

A dish of African origin, the fish was originally wrapped in banana leaves and roasted over hot coals, but today it is made without banana leaves and on the stove top, usually in a clay pot.

2 ½ lbs. firm white fish (grouper, halibut, cod)

1 small tomato, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

4 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 medium tomato, thinly sliced

1 habanero pepper, sliced (optional)

1 cup coconut milk (unsweetened)

½ cup palm oil or vegetable oil

1.)   Wipe the fish dry, cut them into serving pieces and put in a shallow glass casserole.

2.)   In a food processor, puree the chopped tomato, small onion, cilantro, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Add the lemon juice and mix well. Pour the mixture over the fish and marinate for 2 hours turning occasionally.

3.)   Place the fish in a large skillet. Top the fish with the onion and tomato slices. Pour the coconut milk and oil over the vegetables; cook covered over medium heat until the fish and vegetables are tender (about 6 minutes). Serve with rice.

Makes 4-6 servings

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Pan Asian: Stewed Lentils (Parippu) — Sri Lanka

parippu with spinach, basmathi rice, katta sambol, and mango chutney

No Sri Lankan meal would be complete without these high-protein legumes, also called dahl, which soak up the flavors of coconut milk, lemongrass and cinnamon. Smooth and creamy, they comprise a perfect protein when eaten with rice. You can vary the consistency of the lentils from thick as oatmeal to watery as soup, depending on how much water you add. You may also add some fresh greens like spinach to the pot at the end for a healthy, colorful variation.

Tempering is a typically Sri Lankan technique that involves infusing a dish with a burst of flavor right before serving. I have read that it comes from the Portuguese, but I see no evidence of this fact in Portuguese cuisine. When we temper the dahl, we add fried onions, curry leaves, some dried chilies and black mustard seeds (which are considered an anti-flatulent, and therefore perfect for legume dishes). I also like to add a about a teaspoon of raw curry powder, for some added taste. You may purchase both my raw and roasted Sri Lankan curry powder at www.foodoro.com.

 

The Recipe

1/2 lb. (225 g) red lentils

2 cups (500 ml) water

1/2 onion, chopped

2 to 3 green chilies, sliced

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1-inch (2.5 cm) piece pandanus (optional)

1-inch (2.5 cm) stalk lemongrass

1-inch (2.5 cm) stick cinnamon

1 cardamom pod

1 clove

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 cup (125 ml) coconut milk

salt to taste

tempering: 2 tablespoons oil

1/2 onion, sliced

1 sprig curry leaves

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

2 whole dry red chilies

1.)  Wash and drain lentils (removing any stones or chaff).

2.)  Bring water to boil in a medium-sized pot. Add lentils, onion, green chilies, garlic, pandanus, lemon grass, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, and turmeric. Cover and simmer until lentils are soft (about 20 minutes).

3.) Add coconut milk and salt. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4.) In another pan, heat oil. Sauté onions and curry leaves until onions are translucent. Add mustard seeds and dry chilies. Fry until mustard seeds start to pop. Pour over lentils and mix well.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

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The Sri Lankan Supper Club Comes To D.C. — Friday, June 8th

Montserrat House Sri Lankan Popup Restaurant, June 8th 2012 Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. The Sri Lankan Supper Club Prepared by Skiz Fernando, June 8th 2012 Purchase Tickets Here June 8th, 2012 7:00PM, $50 Per Person Includes Dinner & Specialty Cocktails Menu Appetizers: Fish Cutlets Masala Vadai Beef Patties Main Courses: Basmathi Rice Pork Curry Fish Ambul Thiyal Curried eggplant Mallun (sauteed greens) Paripppu (lentils stewed in coconut milk) Coconut Sambol Tomato Cucumber Salad Mango Chutney Pappadum Dessert: Caramel Pudding (flan) S.H. Fernando Jr. (aka “Skiz”) is a journalist, filmmaker, musician, and gastronaut. His most recent book, Rice & Curry: Sri Lankan Home Cooking,  which focuses on the  cuisine of his homeland,  was a New York Times notable cookbook for 2011. A specialist in the flavors of Asia, Skiz travels and writes about food for his blog, “Rice&Curry,”(www.riceandcurry.wordpress.com) dedicated to all things spicy. He also produces a YouTube cooking series called “Pan Asian,” which highlights dishes from Asia and beyond.  Skiz makes his own brand of Sri Lankan curry powder—Skiz’s Original—which is sold online (www.foodoro.com) and through gourmet purveyors across the country. forward to a friend  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences

Sent to wordsound@aol.com — why did I get this? unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences Montserrat House · 2016 9th Street NW · Washington, DC 20001

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