Chicken Not Noodle Soup

Whether you have a minor head cold or the flu, chicken noodle soup always helps to make you feel better. There are endless variations when it comes to chicken noodle soup and each variation showcases unique cooking practices from its point of origin. Unlike the traditional American version, Canja is a classic Brazilian chicken soup where rice is used in the place of noodles. Like many Brazilian recipes, Canja can be manipulated to suit any taste, but rice is always the mandatory ingredient. In the book The Art of Brazilian Cooking by Sandra Cuza it states, "Canja is not served as a first course but always as a main dish, usually accompanied by Italian bread" (Cuza 115). While this soup is not always served with Italian bread, it is usually paired with a bread in a similar form.

To achieve it's classic flavor, this recipe calls for a lot of ingredients, the most important ingredients being the two chicken breasts and the half cup of uncooked rice. Canja is made of two tablespoons of salad oil, two small finely chopped onions, one large clove of minced garlic, a half teaspoon of grated ginger, one medium carrot chopped, one medium potato cubed, one and a half quart of chicken stalk, two sprigs of basil, and salt and pepper to taste (Cuza 116). For garnish, use one quarter of a cup of chopped parsley and one thinly sliced green onion. Because there is not an exact size the ingredients need to be or cut to, you have more control over the dish to fit your preferences.

To begin, use oil to fry the onions in a large saucepan. Next you would add the garlic and ginger and fry for two minutes before adding the chicken breasts and lightly browning, but because I personally do not care for ginger I chose to not add it.   

Then add the rice and use a spoon to ensure the grains are equally coated in oil. When the rice is evenly coated in oil, add the carrot, potato, chicken stock, basil, and salt and pepper. Cover the pan and simmer until the chicken and vegetables are fully cooked. Allow the soup to cool a bit before removing the chicken breasts to de-bone. Cube the meat and return to the soup, adding more stock if needed (Cuza 116). When you are ready to serve, reheat and top with parsley and green onions.

Canja is served throughout Brazil as one of the many variations of chicken noodle soup. I was home sick with the flu this past week, and I decided to try this to see if this Brazilian version of chicken noodle soup would also help make me feel better. It appears that no matter where you look you can always find variations of this classic dish that all help . They may have many variations, but they all share a similar base. Upon this I began to wonder: what are some other variations of chicken noodle soup? 

Cuza, Sandra. "Soup." The Art of Brazilian Cooking. Gretna, LA: Pelican Pub., 2012. 115-116. Print. 

Rice Is Pretty Nice

If I were to invite you to any family gathering, you would be guaranteed to find rice at the table. My Brazilian grandmother believes that Brazilian rice - or chaval in Portuguese - is an essential part of every meal. Because of this, she makes rice on a daily basis and makes sure to double it for any family get-together. Christmas dinner? There's rice. Thanksgiving? Two bowls worth. A backyard barbeque? You can count on it. The funny thing is, if you were to ask you for her recipe she wouldn't be able to tell you it. My grandmother has a gift for cooking, and knows her recipes by sight and taste. She does not know the exact measurements or time it takes to cook, but instead relies on muscle memory. For this reason, I used the recipe from the book The Cooking of Brazil by Matthew Locricchio.

Part of the reason my grandmother makes rice every day is because it reminds her of her upbringing in Brazil. When my grandparents moved to Los Angeles in 1958, my grandma was 25 and by that time her character had already been built by Brazil's culture and customs. In the book The Cooking of Brazil Locricchio states, "Rice is enjoyed every day in Brazil. It can be as simple or elaborate as the cook makes it, but it is always a part of a Brazilian meal" (Locricchio 51).

Brazilian rice is made with one cup of long-grain rice, one garlic clove, two tablespoons of lemon juice, one and a half tablespoons of vegetable oil, three-fourths teaspoon of salt, and one and a half cup of hot water. The first step is to rise the rice and mince the garlic. Then in a 10-inch frying pan

heat the oil before sautéing the rice and garlic for four to five minutes. When the rice has soaked up a bit of the vegetable oil and turned a darker color, add the lemon juice, hot water, and salt. After bringing to a boil, lower the heat and cover the pan before allowing the rice to simmer for about 18 minutes. When the rice is done turn off the heat but do not take off the lid for another five to ten minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve (Locricchio 52).

Like many other Brazilian foods, the simplicity of rice allows it to be altered to accommodate any meal. For instance, my grandma always sautés a tomato and onion before adding the rice. There are countless ways to make rice which Brazilians do every day. The fact that the recipe is memorized by so many makes me wonder: what are some recipes that your family knows by heart?

Locricchio, Matthew. "Beans and Rice." The Cooking of Brazil. New York: Benchmark /Marshall Cavendish, 2005. 51-52. Print.

Cool Beans, Man

Every time I visit my grandmother's house, I can find beans anywhere I look. From the beans in her garden to the beans drying in the windowsill to the pot of beans on the stove, there is never a shortage of beans. It is a little known fact that beans are extremely popular in Brazil, and this is something my grandparents brought with them. In the book The Cooking of Brazil by Matthew Locricchio it states, "Brazilians love beans. These tiny legumes show up in some form in almost every meal. Brazil grows red, brown, and white beans, but the black bean is by far the most popular" (Locricchio 54). While my grandparents eat a variety of beans, black beans are definitely their favorite.

Black beans are called Feijáo Preto Simples in Brazil and it is a lengthy process to make them. This is because you must wash the beans before you soak them over night before you can prepare them. The recipe for black beans calls for one pound of dried black beans, eight cups of water, one bay leaf, one small red or yellow onion, one garlic clove, one tablespoon of vegetable oil, one teaspoon of salt, and one to two sprigs of cilantro (Locricchio 54). After you have soaked your beans and gathered your ingredients, the real process begins.

In a large pot add the beans and cover with water until there is about two inches of water over top of the beans, and then add the bay leaf. After bringing to a boil reduce the heat and let simmer for an hour and a half. After an hour sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic until they soften but before they brown. Remove one cup of beans and a little liquid and mash into a thick paste before returning to the pot. Adding all remaining ingredients, stir and cook for another thirty minutes (Locricchio 55).

Although there are many different kinds of beans, they are served to accommodate meals in a number of ways. Beans are easy to grow and a good source of protein, which is why they became popular in Brazil. While making beans can be time consuming, they are very simple and  can be changed to fit with any meal. The fact that Brazilians eat beans on the side almost every day made me start to wonder: what are some side dishes that are eaten frequently in America? 

Locricchio, Matthew. "Beans and Rice." The Cooking of Brazil. New York: Benchmark /Marshall Cavendish, 2005. 54-55. Print.

Comfort Food Of Brazil

Brigadeiros are rich, colorful Brazilian candies that bring delight to many. In Brazil they are commonly found in abundance at children's birthday parties as a form of celebration, similar to birthday cakes in America. While brigadeiros can be mandatory for some to celebrate children's events, they also make an appearance at all kinds of adult events, too, as well as at home. In Sandra Cuza's The Art of Brazilian Cooking she states, "The mere thought of brigadeiro will bring a sparkle to the eyes and a smile to the lips of Brazilian to whom this sweet is a comfort food from earliest memories" (Cuza 222). Chances are if you make brigadeiros for someone who is feeling down you can brighten up their day.

The recipe for brigadeiros is quite simple with only three ingredients. Brigadeiros are made with one can of sweetened condensed milk, four tablespoons of powered unsweetened cocoa, and one tablespoon of butter. The ingredients are mixed thoroughly at medium heat, stirred constantly with a wooden spoon until the bottom of the pan appears with each scrape. After the mixture thickens, roll the mass into small balls with oiled hands (Cuza 223).


Brigadeiros simple base allows for them to be rolled in a variety of toppings to please many different tastes. Classic brigadeiros are rolled in colorful or chocolate sprinkles. They can also be rolled in coconut flakes, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, chopped nuts, or crystallized sugar. However you decide to decorate the candies, the many varieties of these treats are sure to satisfy any chocolate lover.

Whether you're using brigadeiros for celebration or for comfort, they're sure to bring joy to any occasion. In Brazil there are many other comfort foods that are also used for celebration. Upon this realization I began to wonder: what are some celebratory comfort foods found in America? 

Cuza, Sandra. "Meat." The Art of Brazilian Cooking. N.p.: Pelican, 2012. 186-87. Pint.