COXINHA - READER'S RECIPE

Versão em Português


I just need to say, before you read any further that this recipe was posted before I was a part of Chocorango, that's why the tittle says "Reader's recipe".

Coxinha is very popular in Brazil and I hear is also popular in Portugual, in some recipes the dough is made from the chicken broth, others call for potatoes or manioc. Brazilians usualy serve coxinha in parties but you can also find them in stores. If you never tried this yummy snack before, i recommend you make some brazilian friends to be a guest at their parties, or you can stop at any brazilian store to give them a try. Okay, enough said, let's get to the post:

Neide is a very good cook, and Priscilla is always up beat. One of them makes coxinha for the longest time, she even used to sell them, and the other one one was looking for a good recipe.

Priscilla asked us for a coxinha recipe made out of potatoes, so we went for the best recipe. This is a very easy recipe to follow because all the directions are very clear, and it was created by Neide back when she used to sell them. The dough do not stick in your mouth, is very light, soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside.

Priscilla loved the dough, her only complaint was that she couldn't stop eating. We already gave it a try and trust me: Is worth trying it.

Neide's recipe, Priscilla's picture

4.5lb potatoes or manioc (you can find it in the freezer aisle of your grocery store)
Water
4 Chicken bouillon
2 tbsp butter (very full, around 4.5oz)
1 cup diced green onions and cilantro
3 lb sifted flour

Thick piece of plastic, like the bag rice comes in to help you knead the dough

Breading
2 eggs
3 cups water
Bread crumbs

Directions:
1. Cook the potatos with the skin on in unsalted water untill they're soft. Drain them and peell them immediately.

2. Split the potatoes in three batches, using a blender, beat the potatoes with enough water to make around 51oz of a smooth mixture.

3. Place the potato and water mixture in a big pot with the chicken boullion. Cook in low heat always stirring. Once it starts simmering add butter, green onions and cilantro and mix well. Slowly add the flour while stirring vigorously.

4. Let it cook under low heat, always stirring, untill it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot, that should take about 15-20 minutes.

5. Place the plastic on a counter top and pour the dough on top of it. Knead the dough while hot, with the help of the plastic. Place the dough in a bowl covered wit a wet kitchen towel so the dough doesn't dry.

6. Take portions of the dough and make a big roll (like a giant gnocchi) and then slice equal parts of the dough, keep it covered with a wet kitchen towell so it doesn't dry.

7. Form each piece of dough into a ball, open a hole in the middle and place the filling (ALWAS COLD), close it and shape like a coxinha (chicken drumstick).

Breading
1. Beat the eggs untill they're foamy, addd the water and mix it. Deep each coxinha in the egg mixture and then in the bread crumbs.

2. In a big pan, add just enough oil to cover the coxinhas, let the oil heat well. Fry as many coxinhas as you can fit in the pan, make sure not to put too many of them in, otherwise the oil will cool down, and don't flip the coxinhas too much so they don't open up.

3. Remove the coxinhas from the oil and olace them in a strainer, to drain some of the extra oil. Put them in a plate covered with paper towel.


Neide's Tips: Older potatoes makes better dough.
If your using maioc, use the same procedures as the potaoes. The coxinha will be crunchier on the outside.
The filling should always be cold. If using beef, will be a little more difficult to close the coxinhas.
Do not use raw onions in the dough, you will not be able to get the dough in the right consistency.
Priscilla's Tips: Since the dough is very heavy, keep it divided in three parts when cooking it. And rotate with your husband or brother when it's time to stir it vigorously.
The chosen filling was chicken and cream cheese.

Makes 100 medium size coxinhas

Neide's recipe, Priscilla's picture