XinXim de Galinha, Brazilian chicken and dried shrimp stew recipe

XinXim de galinha

One of the ways I kill homesickness is to go to the kitchen and start cooking. The aromas invade the house, the soul and the flavours and textures complete the experience. One of my old time favourite stews is xinxim de galinha,  a traditional delicacy of African-Bahian cuisine.

This dish was been made in the Bahia state, for centuries, and it was brought to Brazil by the African in colonial times. It is usually cooked with palm oil, but to make it a lighter stew I use coconut oil and just drizzle the dish with palm oil before finishing cooking.  I also added some fresh prawns and a small amount of coconut cream, you can leave them out if you prefer. I find that the prawns add a touch of elegance, to an otherwise peasant dish, and the coconut cream a silky finish. Xinxim de Galinha, The Hot&Chilli way.

wine paring: Mirabeau Rosé from Provence, ‘aromas and flavours of wild strawberry, raspberry and redcurrant , light
and lively on the palate, it’s an absolute thirst quencher’ 
by my mate Denise, The Wine Sleuth

 

XinXim de galinha, Brazilian chicken and dried shrimp stew recipe

Serves: 6-8 generous portions
level: easy
Time: approx 35 minutes

Ingredients:
1k of chicken pieces or 1 whole small chicken, I use skinless tights
1/2 cup (tea) peanut, grounded (70g)
1/2 cup (tea) cashew nuts, grounded (70g)
4 tablespoons of coconut oil
4 tablespoons (soup) lime juice
2 tablespoons grated ginger (40g)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
200g dried, peeled and grounded shrimp
3 cloves garlic, crushed
a couple of good handful of cilantro/coriander
1 large onion, finely sliced
200ml  coconut cream or 1 cup of water
250g of fresh tiger prawns (optional)
Salt to taste
Lime edges and chillies to decorate
Palm oil to drizzle, optional

Method:
1) season with the chicken pieces with crushed garlic, lime juice and pepper,  leaving it to marinate for at least a couple of hours, overnight is better.
2) In a large saucepan, heat coconut oil and saute the chicken pieces with the onions for about 15 minutes, stirring from time to time until it’s golden.
3) Beat in a blender or food processor the coriander, the nuts and ginger with 50ml of water,  add the mix to the chicken and, if you prefer, add the dried shrimp too
4) Cook over medium-low heat for a further 15 minutes.
5) Add the coconut cream, the tiger prawns and simmer a little longer, about  5-6 minutes, until the prawns turn pink.
6) If the stock starts to dry too much, add a little water. Drizzle with palm oil (optional).Check for salt.
7) Served topped with roasted peanuts grounded, chilli and lime wedges.
8) Serving suggestion: white rice

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XinXim de galinha

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7 Comments

  1. Zara Lipstixx
    August 31, 2015 / 2:38 pm

    This looks and sounds absolutely delicious. I have to give this a go!

  2. Brand & Beauty
    August 31, 2015 / 5:52 pm

    Oh woow this looks amazing! 🙂

  3. August 31, 2015 / 8:48 pm

    This sounds absolutely gorgeous! I've never cooked with dried shrimp before, but I can imagine it would give bold, rich flavor. 🙂

  4. August 31, 2015 / 11:57 pm

    This looks delicious and your photos are great. This is exactly the sort of recipe I would make myself at home 🙂

  5. Prateek Dasgupta
    September 1, 2015 / 7:43 am

    The recipe looks delicious and a perfect wine combination, this is a sort of recipe I would love to make during a relaxing weekend!

  6. Jo Smith
    September 1, 2015 / 9:32 pm

    Oof, this looks and sounds absolutely delightful. And that picture of the wine has made me sooo thirsty!

  7. September 1, 2015 / 11:04 pm

    This looks absolutely scrumptious. I will try doing this one day when I can get all the ingredients together.