makanandcomida

Now I finally know where all the Brazilian girls and women go to buy their bikinis and questionable training outfits. I followed today a recommendation and checked out Santa Clara 33 in Copacabana – it is a 12 story building with hundreds of tiny shops mainly selling bikinis, surfwear, underwear and sports clothes in all shapes and forms.

Sports fashion especially for women here definitely is something that needs getting used to. Whereas I’m used to the traditional large sports brands selling mostly unicolored often black trousers, tops and t-shirts, here in Brazil you get the wildest prints and cuts very much reminding of the 80s but mostly even topping the 80s look! I’m sure I would not be able to find any of those outfits anywhere in Germany but should any of you feel the need to own and dress something like that let me know! Sure that would leave some mouths open next time you hit the Gym!

Even though I do not have plans to fit into the tiniest bikinis nor hitting the Gym in the butterfly outfit today its time for a light dish!

Cucumbers filled with Feta Recipe (Starter or light lunch for 4)

• 2 large cucumbers
• 250g of Feta crumbled
• handful of black pitted and halved olives
• Juice of one lemon
• dried oregano
• fresh parsley, salt and pepper
• 150ml vegetable stock
• 2 cloves of pressed garlic
• 200g Greek yogurt
• Pita bread

Peel, half and deseed cucumbers and fill halves with feta, olives, lemon juice, oregano and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Fry cucumbers in olive oil for a couple of minutes, add stock and simmer in closed pan for 10minutes. Mix yogurt and garlic, season with salt and pepper and serve together with cucumbers and Pita bread.

After the curry nightmare on Saturday, yesterday we ventured trying a South-East Asian restaurant to kill our culinary craving for good Asian food. Mekong restaurant in Leblon surprised us with a variety of dishes from Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, China and India.

We started with really good Thai fishcakes, Chinese dumplings and Vietnamese fresh rice rolls:

Afterwards it was Chicken curry, Pad Thai chicken noodles and Vietnamese noodle soup. Here comes the recipe for this one:

Pho Bo – Vietnames Noodle Soup for 4

• 1.5l chicken stock
• 2 chicken breasts (or leftover cooked chicken, beef or pork finely shredded)
• 3 cloves pressed garlic
• 5cm piece of ginger finely diced
• 400g of fresh bean sprouts
• 400g of fresh or 200g of dried rice noodles soaked
• 3tbs fish sauce
• 1tbs soy sauce
• juice of 1-2 limes
• fresh coriander, Thai basil and mint
• red chili chopped (optional)

Bring the chicken stock to the boil and add ginger, garlic and chicken breasts. When chicken is done, finely shred it and add it back to stock together with the bean sprouts and noodles. Season with fish sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, salt and pepper and garnish with fresh herbs. Serve immediately – Asia at its best!

Today myself and the kids went to see the India exhibition currently showing at the Centro Cultural do Banco de Brasil – a gorgeous exhibition space sponsored by the Bank of Brazil hosted in its first headquarter building with a changing display of art and culture – all for free.

The India exhibition is showing a mix of historic indian artefacts, traditional objects, photos and modern art with showpieces having been brought together from museum collections in Berlin, Zürich, Leiden, Rio, Recife as well as from private collections in India.

Afterwards we went for some Indian food, prepared at a French restaurant La Coccinelle Bistro – we should have known. Maybe good for French food but the Indian fare, besides taking ages to arrive, tasted just like “Airplane food” as my daughter commented. Surely she knows as she has had her fair share of airplane food by now.

And we had so much looked forward for killing our Malaysian culinary losses with good Indian food! So it is back to the stove – for a very easy Indian vegetarian curry:

Red Lentil and Roasted Butternut Curry (for 4)

• 500-700 butternut or other pumpkin diced
• 4 shallots chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic pressed
• 1tbs garam masala
• 4 curry leaves
• 1 red chili deseeded and finely chopped
• 300ml coconut milk
• 200ml vegetable stock
• 300g red lentils
• butter, olive oil, salt and pepper
• 150ml of fresh natural yogurt (optional)
• fresh coriander for garnish

Today I went to the Feira da Providência, an annual fair selling national and international crafts and food with beautiful things from around Latin America but as well the Middle East and Aisa. There was no German stand selling anything from Kuckucks clocks to nutcrackers or whatever is typical. But there was a German food stall or at least something remotely looking like a German sausage joint decorated with German flags.

Having not had a single German sausage in the last 4 month, I thought I will give my country man some support and order from them. But not a single German around, all Brazilian staff and none of them even remotely new anything about Germany, German food or language. I had to spell and translate the German words on their menu, such as “Knoblauchwürstchen” meaning little garlic sausages and we had a good laugh together trying the right pronunciation! Unfortunately the culinary experience was less fortunate – I think my sausage roll must have been the worst ever.

But its Friday – time for another Latin American favorite drink, the Peruvian Pisco Sour for 2

• 150-200 ml Peruvian Pisco liquor
• 60ml lime juice
• 2 tbs white sugar
• 1 very fresh egg white
• 15-20 ice cubes

Mix all ingredients together in a blender until ice is crushed and the egg white has developed into a nice foam at the top. Distribute into two glasses.

I also very much like the Pisco Maracuja where you replace the lime juice for passion fruit juice and pulp and blend it the same way.

Or if your are very serious about your cocktail you go the way these Brazilian girls went – a large maracuja vodka! We used to share large ice creams this way! Unfortunately I did not witness them finishing it!

Yesterday evening we were off to a German stand up poetry slam performance at the German school. But before we did indulge into some petiscos – brazilian finger food and a good passion fruit caipirinha at one of Rio’s favorite bars – Joaquina at the Cobal of Botafogo/Humaitá.

As there is such a large amount of finger food found on the brazilian menus, we slowly eat our way through, trying something new every time. Last night we had grilled queijo coalho – something quite similar to grilled greek haloumi cheese and fried polenta with mushroom sauce. Obviously our all-time favorite bolinhos de bacalhau – fried codfish cakes needed to be ordered as well.

Bolinhos de bacalhau and fried cheese (queijo coalho)

Fried polenta with mushroom sauce

Passion Fruit dessert (for 6)

My friend Carolin shared this one with me – thanks. I prepared it just now as we have guests for dinner.

• 100ml of fresh cream
• 200ml of condensed sweetened milk
• juice and pulp of 5-6 passion fruits depending on size
• 100ml of unsweetened natural yogurt (optional)

Beat the cream until fluffy. Sieve the passion fruit to separate juice and pulp. Mix the juice with the condensed milk and slowly fold in the cream and natural yogurt. Distribute into nice glasses and decorate with passion fruit seeds. Cool for some hours in the fridge before serving. Enjoy!

Early morning walks along the beach of Copacabana are just a wonderful way to start your day. Not only the great natural beauty of the sun rising above the ocean

but as well funny sights such as this group of ladies doing their daily fitness routine at the beach:

or the weirdest collection of dogs being walked along Copacabana beach – but they have to wait for a next blog.

Roasted Pumpkin with Rocket Pesto served with grilled Steak (for 4)

• 1 medium sized pumpkin deseeded, halved and sliced into wedges
• 1 large bunch of rocket (ruccula)
• 50g of walnuts
• 50-100 g of grated parmesan
• olive oil
• 1 clove of pressed garlic
• salt and pepper
• 4 steaks around 200g each

Layer the pumpkin slices into an ovenproof dish, sprinkle with coarse sea salt and olive oil and roast in 200C oven for around 30 minutes or until pumpkin is soft. Alternatively you can put them on the grill. In a food processor mix the rocket leafs, walnuts, grated parmesan, garlic and add some 2-3tbs of olive oil. Season the pesto with salt and pepper.

Grill the steaks or fry them in a pan in olive oil, season with salt and freshly ground pepper and serve with the slices of pumpkin topped with the Rocket Pesto.

Yesterday Edna showed me how to make a proper moqueca de peixe.

This is one of the most typical brazilian dishes originating from Bahia in the north-east of the country and showing the strong African influence. The great taste and color comes from the dendê oil or red palm oil widely used in the cuisine of Bahia as well as in Western Africa. It is supposed to have a lot of health benefits and therefor can easily be found in organic or health stores outside Brazil.

First is was off to the market for me – remember Monday market day with the fish monger recommending the filets of sole fish, but you can use any other white firm fish and or prawns or other seafood.

For 4 you will need:

• 800 g of firm white fish filets cut into large pieces and or prawns, squid or mussels
• 2 large onions sliced into rings
• 1 each green, red and yellow pepper sliced into rings
• 3 cloves of garlic pressed
• 2-3 large tomatoes cut into rounds
• 3-4 spring onions chopped
• bunch of coriander chopped
• 1 red chili finely diced
• 200ml of coconut milk
• 100ml of fish stock
• 100ml tomato puree
• juice of 2 limes
• 3tbs dendê oil (red palm oil)
• salt, pepper

The cooking process itself is super easy. I used a Wok but you could use any large heavy pan or pot.

Layer half the onion rings, tomatoes, peppers, garlic, chili and fish pieces on top of each other than repeat with second layer. Top with spring onions and coriander and add the liquid ingredients – coconut milk, lime juice, fish stock, tomato puree and dendê oil. Season with salt and pepper, cover with lid, bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Ready!

Best served with rice. Bom proveito!

This weekend we had the chance to listen to the great string orchestra and choir composed of children aged 6-17 from the favelas of Dona Marta, Cidade de Deus and o Alemão. The children receive musical tutoring and instruments as part of a social program providing them not only with musical ability but as well securing wider social inclusion and positive outlook into the future. The project is among other supported by a large number of companies, the German General Consulate in Rio and the German School and has been running for the last two years. The musical skills acquired during that time are very impressive as well as the dedication and time invested by the children and the volunteers – 3 afternoons of 4 hour trainings every week!

Sunday night was an Asian affair – yes we do miss the Asian food and all have grown very fond of it in the 4 years spent in Malaysia. So it was dumplings for the kids:

no I cannot make them myself and are happy to have found a small Asian import in Botafogo selling all kinds of Asian foods and ingredients.

Thomas and myself took ourselves to a good japanese restaurant with a marvelous view of Pão de Açucar for serious sushi eating:

On our way to school we pass the entrance to the Comunidade Santa Marta, one of the first pacified favelas in Rio just up the hill behind Botafogo. Every Saturday the people of Santa Marta have the service of a market on wheels, a large bus that parks at the entrance of the favela, loaded with fresh fruits and vegetables. What a great idea – I used to frequent a library bus that would come once a week to our village when I was little, but a market bus clearly could make live easier for lots of people in remote areas!

Octopus salad (Salada de Polvo) for 4 as a starter

• 1 fresh octopus around 1kg cleaned
• 3-4 spring onions chopped
• 1 red and green pepper chopped
• 10 baby tomatoes chopped
• 1 red chili finely diced
• 1 clove of garlic pressed
• olive oil
• white wine vinegar
• fresh lime or lemon
• salt, pepper and fresh coriander

Boil the whole octopus in water for 30-40 minutes. Drain and cut into 1cm pieces. Mix with spring onions, peppers, chili, garlic and tomatoes. Add 2tbs of olive oil and white wine vinegar, season with salt and pepper and allow to marinate in the fridge for 2-3 hours. Serve with drizzle of fresh lime or lemon juice, loads of fresh coriander and some fresh crusty bread.

Yes I had been in Brazil before, some 20 years back, and yes I knew cachaça, the brazilian distilled sugar cane liquor, was very popular. What I did not know is that there are around 30.000 different cachaça producers in Brazil. This does explain the speciality shops found just selling this type of liquor as the one we stumbled upon when visiting the charming colonial town of Paraty, 3 hours south of Rio:

As we do live in Caipirinha heaven what could be better than sipping one of this marvelous drinks for a sundowner at one of Rio’s beach hangouts on a Friday late afternoon. My favorite spot currently for drinks and food is the Bar Astor in Ipanema but I keep trying.

This does not mean you cannot make those wonderful and easy to make cocktails at home, put some brazilian music on and enjoy. Here comes the classic version with a twist and my favorite one, the Maracuja or Passion Fruit one:

Classic Caipirinha with a twist:

• 2 juicy limes, cut into half wedges
• 1 tsp white sugar
• 50ml of cachaça
• crushed or cubed ice
• some mint leaves

In the serving class crush the lime, sugar and some mint leaves with a pestle or wooden spoon to dissolve the lime juices in the sugar. Top with cachaça and crushed or cubed ice and garnish with more mint leaves and a slice of lime.

Maracuja Caipirinha

• Pulp and juice of 1-2 ripe passion fruits (you can take the canned once available in most supermarkets but check on added sugar)
• 1tsp of white sugar
• 50ml of cachaça
• crushed or cubed ice

Mix everything together and enjoy!!!

Tip: get some larger/wider straws for this version as it will be avoiding getting the passion fruit pulp stuck!