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Angu
Angu: Minas Gerais' soft, unsalted cornmeal mush, the everyday partner for stews
Angu is to a mineiro kitchen what bread is elsewhere: a pot of fine yellow fubá cooked with water into a smooth, soft mush, traditionally without salt, to sit under saucy dishes. In Minas Gerais and Rio it is spooned beside frango com quiabo, braised greens, mushroom ragouts and anything with a gravy, and the old roadside restaurants bring it in clay bowls. Plain angu tastes clean and gently sweet of corn, which is why it suits strongly seasoned food. The classic mistake is pouring dry cornmeal into boiling water, which creates lumps that never cook out; start it in cold water instead. Chef's tip: keep the heat low and give it the full 20 minutes even when it looks thick already; raw cornmeal tastes gritty and bitter, while cooked angu is silky and comes away from the sides of the pan.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 9 oz fine yellow cornmeal (fubá)or fine polenta
- 2 cups cold water
- 3 ¼ cups water
- ½ tsp salt (optional)not traditional
- 1 tbsp olive oil (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Whisk 9 oz fine yellow cornmeal (fubá) into 2 cups cold water in a bowl until there are no dry lumps.
Step 2: Bring 3 ¼ cups water to the boil in a heavy pan over a medium-high heat.
5 minStep 4: Turn the heat to low, half-cover the pan (it spits) and cook for 20 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon every few minutes, until smooth, glossy and pulling away from the sides.
20 minStep 5: Spoon onto plates or into a buttered bowl and turn out as a dome. Serve hot under stews or greens; add a splash of boiling water if it gets too stiff.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 31 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does angu take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
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