South American Food
The continent of South America is a salad bowl of different cultures and unique cuisines. South American cuisine is a blend of a variety of flavors, ingredients and a fusion of traditional and modern recipes, which makes the South American food culture a diverse one. The dishes in South America are enticing and a sure treat to the taste buds.
South American Food Recipes
The recipes mainly use an array of freshly cultivated fruits and vegetables, meat, seafood etc. Here are some interesting and delicious recipes.
Humitas - Fresh Corn Tamales (Chile)
Ingredients
- Ears of corn, 8
- Softened cream cheese, 2 cups
- Vegetable shortening, cup
- Aji amarillo paste, 1 tablespoon
- Medium-sized onion, chopped, 1
- Cumin, 1 teaspoon
- Salt to taste
For making this appetizer, dehusk the corn and remove the kernels of corn from the cob into a medium-sized bowl. Keep the corn husks separately for making the humitas. Take a large pot and pour water so that it covers the bottom. Place a few corn cobs in the water. With the help of a food processor, blend the corn kernels with salt till they become smooth. In a medium-sized skillet, melt the vegetable shortening and saute the onions till they turn golden brown. Add the cumin and aji paste to the onions and cook for about one minute. Now stir in the corn paste in the skillet and saute it for about 5 minutes till they combine well. Transfer this mixture to a separate bowl and let it cool down. Combine the softened cream cheese with the corn mixture. Boil the water with the corn cobs in it for about 2 minutes and place the husks in the water till they become soft. Remove the husks from the pot and spoon the corn mixture on top. Fold the husks and place them again in the pot over the corn cobs. Cover the pot with a lid and steam the humitas for about half an hour.
Pollo a la Brasa - Rotisserie Chicken (Peru)
Ingredients
- Whole chicken, 1
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 cup
- Cold water, 1 quart
- Garlic powder, 3 tablespoons
- White wine, 3 tablespoons
- Cumin, 1 tablespoon
- White vinegar, cup
- Freshly ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons
- Canola oil, 3 tablespoons
- Paprika, 1 tablespoons
- Salt to taste
In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, paprika, cumin, black pepper and salt with white wine, vinegar and canola oil and form a thick paste. Mix the cold water and lemon juice and wash the chicken in it after trimming the extra fat. Rub the spice paste on the chicken coating it completely. Place this coated chicken in a zip bag and refrigerate it for about 3 to 4 hours till it gets marinated. Place the chicken on a rotisserie and cook it on a preheated grill at about 150 C for about 2 hours turning it at regular intervals. The chicken will be cooked thoroughly on all the sides. You can serve this delectable chicken recipe with a dipping sauce of your choice.
Brigadeiros - Chocolate Fudge Truffles (Brazil)
Ingredients
- Sweetened condensed milk, 1 can
- Butter, 4 tablespoons
- Cocoa powder, cup
- Vanilla essence, 1 teaspoons
- Salt, teaspoon
In a large pot, pour the condensed milk and stir it on a low flame. Add salt and cocoa powder and continue stirring to prevent it from sticking to the sides of the pot. Continue stirring till the mixture thickens and begins to boil slightly. Add the butter and vanilla essence to the pot after removing it from the heat. Once it cools down refrigerate the mixture for about 30 to 45 minutes. Butter your hands, (so that the chocolate doesn't stick to your hands) and roll the chocolate mixture into medium-sized balls. Roll the balls in chocolate sprinkles or sugar candies and place them on a buttered paper. Refrigerate the balls till they set and become firm. Your tempting dessert is ready to be indulged in.
You don't need to be a gourmet chef to try out these dishes and you will enjoy preparing them. Don your chef's hat and sharpen your culinary skills. You are sure to fall in love with this exotic cuisine.
