Brasilian Chicken Chowder or "caldo De Galinha"
by nadialtbr in Cooking > Soups & Stews
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Brasilian Chicken Chowder or "caldo De Galinha"
This Brasilian soup has, in my husband's words, "more herbs than Bob Marley and more punch than Mike Tyson"
I discovered this dish back in 2010 and have been perfecting it ever since. When we cook in Brasil, we don't always measure everything exactly. So you'll not find perfect measurements in this instructable.
Also, the base for this dish is Cassava root or yuca, mogo, manioc, mandioca and many other names world wide... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassava
Cassava, when dried to a starchy pearl is called tapioca. It is also called the 'bread of the tropics" because of it grows well in drought riden areas and poor soils, making it a staple in poor countries.
If you don't have cassava, use potatoes! it will taste just as good.
I discovered this dish back in 2010 and have been perfecting it ever since. When we cook in Brasil, we don't always measure everything exactly. So you'll not find perfect measurements in this instructable.
Also, the base for this dish is Cassava root or yuca, mogo, manioc, mandioca and many other names world wide... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassava
Cassava, when dried to a starchy pearl is called tapioca. It is also called the 'bread of the tropics" because of it grows well in drought riden areas and poor soils, making it a staple in poor countries.
If you don't have cassava, use potatoes! it will taste just as good.
Ingredients
2 split chicken breasts
1lb of frozen cassava (you can use it fresh too, just check out how to peel it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf6Z9Iscw38)
1 large onion, chopped
8 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
5-10 cups of water
1-2 tablespoons of tomato paste
Olive oil or bacon fat
Herb Trinity:
8-10 springs of Scallions, cut
Half a bunch of Parsley, chopped
Half a bunch Cilantro, chopped
Spices
Paprika
Garlic powder
black pepper
Chicken bullion
1lb of frozen cassava (you can use it fresh too, just check out how to peel it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf6Z9Iscw38)
1 large onion, chopped
8 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
5-10 cups of water
1-2 tablespoons of tomato paste
Olive oil or bacon fat
Herb Trinity:
8-10 springs of Scallions, cut
Half a bunch of Parsley, chopped
Half a bunch Cilantro, chopped
Spices
Paprika
Garlic powder
black pepper
Chicken bullion
Prepare the Cassava and Chicken Base
Chicken base:
Add the chicken breasts to a pressure cooker and season with the garlic powder, black pepper and paprika.
You don't have a pressure cooker? well cook it in a normal pan or do it on the crockpot. If you are using the crockpot allow for the 3-4 hour cook time before starting your cassava base.
-Add the chopped tomatoes and a 1/4 of your herb trinity.
-Add a 1/4 cup of water and bring it to pressure.
-Cook for 20 minutes. Let the pressure come down on its own before opening the pot.
Cassava base:
In a large pot add the water cassava, bullion cube and spice it with black pepper, paprika and garlic powder.
How much? well, around 1/2 a teaspoon of each. Or as much as you want! have fun sprinkling it all in there.
Top it off with 1/4 of your herbs (Again, not precise measurements). Bring it all to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until the cassava is starting to break apart. You want it really soft.
Add the chicken breasts to a pressure cooker and season with the garlic powder, black pepper and paprika.
You don't have a pressure cooker? well cook it in a normal pan or do it on the crockpot. If you are using the crockpot allow for the 3-4 hour cook time before starting your cassava base.
-Add the chopped tomatoes and a 1/4 of your herb trinity.
-Add a 1/4 cup of water and bring it to pressure.
-Cook for 20 minutes. Let the pressure come down on its own before opening the pot.
Cassava base:
In a large pot add the water cassava, bullion cube and spice it with black pepper, paprika and garlic powder.
How much? well, around 1/2 a teaspoon of each. Or as much as you want! have fun sprinkling it all in there.
Top it off with 1/4 of your herbs (Again, not precise measurements). Bring it all to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until the cassava is starting to break apart. You want it really soft.
Smoosh It!
So, you cassava is falling apart. Help it out with a potato masher. Smoosh it all to form a broth. if a few pieces escape you, don't worry.
Take out the woody parts and discard.
Take out the woody parts and discard.
Fork It.
-Open the pressure cooker.
-Take the skin and bones out of the breasts.
-Using two forks, put it all apart.
-Take the skin and bones out of the breasts.
-Using two forks, put it all apart.
Almost There
-In a 3rd big pot add the olive oil or bacon fat.
-Sautee the garlic, then the onions.
-Add a good amount of paprika and sautee for a little bit.
-Add 3-5 ladles of the cassava base.
-Add all of the chicken base.
-Sautee the garlic, then the onions.
-Add a good amount of paprika and sautee for a little bit.
-Add 3-5 ladles of the cassava base.
-Add all of the chicken base.
Making Soup
-Add the chicken/onion/garlic mix back into the cassava base pan.
-Add the tomato paste.
-Add another 1/4 of the herb trinity.
-Stir it all together, simmer for another 10 minutes.
Stir it a few times because the cassava settles on the bottom of the pan and can scorch easy.
Shut the heat off, add the rest of the herbs.
-Add the tomato paste.
-Add another 1/4 of the herb trinity.
-Stir it all together, simmer for another 10 minutes.
Stir it a few times because the cassava settles on the bottom of the pan and can scorch easy.
Shut the heat off, add the rest of the herbs.
Serve and enjoy.
This recipe makes a lot of food, you could probably feed 5 people and have leftovers. If you don't have 5 to feed, freeze some for later. This soup tastes even better the day after (what soup doesn't?)
This recipe makes a lot of food, you could probably feed 5 people and have leftovers. If you don't have 5 to feed, freeze some for later. This soup tastes even better the day after (what soup doesn't?)