Souperchef Creation | Galinha Caipira

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Souperchef Creation : Galinha Caipira (Country Style Chicken Stew)

Galinha caipira means a rustic country style chicken. At Casa da Feijoada, Rio, I had my first taste of this stew and it reminded me so much of a thick Indonesian style soto ayam. I just did not expect us to share so much similarity. The spice linking my memory to this dish is turmeric, which gives this dish a warm, earthy taste. It is originally thickened with cassava or tapioca flour and served with lots of coriander and rice. Apparently, every family has their own style, hence this is called a rustic country chicken.

At Casa da Feijoada, the owner told us that this is how his family makes it in Minas Gerais style, an area known for its presence of heavy dishes and comforting rural family meals. Turmeric is the star here, and is also known as the saffron from the earth. It is usually used on its own and never combined with other spices like in Indian cooking or local curries, where turmeric is only one of the spices used and mostly to contribute the beautiful yellow colour to our curries.

Galinha Caipira literally a rustic country style chicken at Casa da Feijoada based on the boss’s family recipe from Minas Gerais. The bright yellow is from turmeric.

The owner of Casa da Feijoada: very friendly and stopped by our table to chat with us and shared the origin of the dishes with us.

Our version draws inspiration from the dish Mineira (from Minas Gerais) and our Southeast Asian roots, combining turmeric, okra, tapioca, yam and quinoa topped with chopped peanuts, coriander and coconut flakes. We may be thousands of miles apart with different cultures and languages but food can be our common denominator.

Ingredients used for Galinha Caipira

Galinha Caipira

Ingredients: Marinated chicken thigh, carrots, tapioca, yam, tomatoes, onions, garlic, pineapple, okra, quinoa, turmeric, ginger, coriander, coconut cream, oranges, lemons, herbs and spices.

Condiments: Chopped coriander, chopped peanuts and desiccated coconut flakes.

(Chicken / Gluten-free / Dairy-free / Alcohol-free)