About Coxinhas: A Brazilian Delight
As a foodie, you already know how amazing it is to discover all the brilliant and delicious foods from around the world and to really tickle your tastebuds; today weโre honing in on a Brazilian classic; the Coxinhas.
Pronounced โkoh-sheen-ya,โ this cuisine is best described as Brazilian tapas, and if youโve never tried it before, oh, youโre in for a treat. However, to make sure itโs right for you, letโs explore everything and what it offers.
Where Does Coxinha Come From?
A little history to wet your whistle.
The story behind Coxinha states that it was back in the time of Isabel, Princess Imperial, and Prince Gaston, who were the leaders of Brazil around 1870. They had a son who loved chicken dishes, but he was only ever interested in the thigh.
However, one day came along, and the palace chef realized they were out of thighs, and with the royal boy hungry, they needed to come up with a solution fast. With some quick thinking, the chef used the rest of a normal chicken to create โthighsโ for the boy to eat, shredding the flesh into parts and using dough to make a filling before molding it into a thigh-shaped piece of meat.
The boy was smitten with the creation (of course, at the time, not realizing what it was), and the treat became incredibly popular not long afterward and has remained this way ever since.
How to Make Coxinhas
Like the traditional method, Coxinhas is easy to make yet absolutely delicious. Typically, youโll make the dough using wheat flour and chicken broth, and commonly chefs will add in mashed potatoes to use as filling. This is why some people might refer to Coxinhas as a potato dish rather than a bread one.
The dough is made and filled with shredded chicken meat, which is then shaped into drumsticks. From here, you simply batter the dish, breading it if you want to use breadcrumbs or flour, and then deep fry it.
It can sound like a lot, but this dish is nothing short of hearty and is sure to fill you up. Bringing the dish into modern times, you can coat your coxinhas with whatever flavoring you want, the dish of which is simple enough to bring out any flavors you like, so donโt be afraid to get creative if making them yourself!
Commonly, youโll find ingredients like onions, parsley, scallions, and spiced forms of chicken!
Making Your Coxinhas Your Own
While thereโs no reason you canโt get creative with your recipe, if youโre looking for ways to keep things traditional, then there are two main variable recipes you can follow. These are;
- Coxhina Mineira: A maize filling Coxinha which is mainly found in the Minas Gerais region of Brazil.
- Cheese Coxinhas: Usually found in snack bars throughout Brazil, these are cheese-based Coxhinas where toothpicks are used in place of chicken bones. Ideal for vegetarians!
Summary
As you can see, while Coxinhas are simple on the surface, theyโre a cultural tradition for a reason, and whether youโre at home and trying new, exotic recipes for yourself or youโre off to Brazil itself to try them authentically first-hand, youโre sure to discover a new favorite!
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