Frango com Quiabo Mineiro/Chicken with Okra
‘Frango com Quiabo Mineiro’ or Chicken with Okra, Mineiro
style, is from Minas Gerais State, but similar versions are served around
Brazil. It is a very popular dish in Rio de Janeiro, for example
Makes 4-5 portions
Ingredients:
3 large chicken breasts
1 kg of okra
1 onion chopped
2 spring onions chopped
6 cloves of garlic chopped
Juice of 1 lime or lemon
½ teaspoon of paprika
100 ml of chicken stock
1 tablespoon of fresh thyme coriander
4 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Firstly, cut each chicken breast into 3 large pieces. In a
large bowl add the chunks of chicken and add the garlic, paprika, half the
juice of the lime, olive oil, half of the herbs and season to taste. Cover and
leave in the fridge for at least an hour. Clean the okra and top and tail each
piece. Slice them in about ½ inch sizes. Dry the okra with kitchen towl. Fry
the okra on a low heat for between 7-10 minutes. Chef’s tip: “This process is
essential as the frying process takes the slime out of the okra and the
vegetable should be nicely browned and cooked al dente.” Take off the heat and
put to one side.
Using a large pan fry the onion for 3 minutes then add the
chicken along with the garlic marinade and fry until browned. Add the okra,
chopped spring onions, chicken stock, the rest of the lime juice and herbs, and
salt and pepper (to taste). Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 – 20
minutes stirring occasionally. The casserole should have a reasonably thick
sauce when done.