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Frango com quiabo

Frango com quiabo: Minas Gerais chicken braised with okra, served with soft angu

Countryside Minas Gerais, especially around Belo Horizonte and the historic towns, cooks frango com quiabo for Sunday lunch: chicken pieces braised in a garlicky tomato sauce coloured with annatto, with okra fried separately and folded in at the end so it stays green and barely sticky. It is served over angu, a soft, unseasoned cornmeal porridge, with rice and a pot of hot pepper on the side. The sauce is savoury and homely, the okra tender with a little bite. People often add the raw okra straight to the pot, which makes the sauce slimy; frying it first in hot oil seals it. Chef's tip: stir the angu with a whisk as you pour in the cornmeal, then switch to a wooden spoon, and it will never go lumpy.
Total time
90 min
Difficulty
medium
Serves
6
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Ingredients

Serves6

For the chicken

For the angu

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Fresh ingredients (7)

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Method

0/8 done
  1. Step 1: Rub 3 ⅓ lb chicken pieces, bone in with 1 lime, 2 ½ cloves garlic and 1 tsp salt, cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.

    30 min
  2. Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy casserole over a medium-high heat and brown the chicken in batches for 4–5 minutes a side until golden.

    15 min
  3. Step 3: Add 1 onion, the rest of 2 ½ cloves garlic and 1 tsp ground annatto (colorau) and fry for 3 minutes, then add 2 tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until they soften.

    8 min
  4. Step 4: Pour in 2 cups hot water and the rest of 1 tsp salt, cover and simmer on a low heat for 30 minutes until the chicken is tender and reaches 165°F at the bone.

    30 min
  5. Step 5: Meanwhile, heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a high heat and fry 1 ⅛ lb okra for 5–6 minutes, stirring, until browned in spots and no longer sticky.

    6 min
  6. Step 6: For the angu, mix 9 oz fine cornmeal (fubá) with 300 ml of 1.2 litres water to a smooth slurry. Bring the rest of the water (and ½ tsp salt, if using) to the boil, whisk in the slurry and cook on a low heat for 20 minutes, stirring often, until thick, glossy and pulling away from the pan.

    20 min
  7. Step 7: Fold the okra into the chicken and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Stir through 4 tbsp parsley and spring onion.

    5 min
  8. Step 8: Spoon the angu onto plates and serve the chicken and okra over it.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
520 kcal
Protein
38 g
Carbs
38 g
Fat
23 g
Fibre
5 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does frango com quiabo take?
About 90 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 50 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 gluten free?
Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of lime?
Lemon, same amount.
What can I use instead of garlic?
½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.

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