Here are some easy South American recipes you can use to teach your kids geography and give some inspiration for cooking while you are home. Find out more about this series, or jump right in with part 4 of ‘Suppers from Around the World’ brings you easy South American recipes that your family will love. Each day we will have a new continent of family dinner recipes until all 7 continents are done.
SOUTH AMERICA
South America is a western hemisphere continent, that some consider a subcontinent of the Americas. Bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and north by the Atlantic, the north American and Caribbean seas lie to the northwest. Fourth in size, with twelve sovereign states, the most popular cuisines include Brazil, Argentina, Peru and Chile. It’s not a surprise Brazil has a great influence on South American food, it is the most populous South American country and has half the continent’s population.
South American recipes have a great fusion of culture from Native American, African, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Indian–South Asian. The food customs mix European, North American and indigenous cuisines and vary greatly depending on the specific geographical regions.
Traditional Fish Stew (Brazil)
Moqueca Baiana is a Brazilian fish stew recipe full of flavor. When you think of fish stew you may imagine something boring and bland. Brazilian fish stew with tomato coconut sauce and fresh lime is simple and anything but boring.
Ceviche (Peru)
I first tried ceviche in Mexico and I fell in love. It was only later that I found that the dish originated in Peru. This raw seafood dish is ‘cooked’ in citrus juices, such as lemon or lime. At first, I was skeptical about ‘cooking’ fish in lemon juice, but was I wrong! It may sound odd, but when you think about it, it’s no different than sushi. This dish is spiced with chili peppers and seasonings and best consumed fresh. Try this easy ceviche recipe for yourself.
Beef Empanadas (Argentina)
Beef Empanadas are pastry and pies filled with meat and are VERY popular in South America. A street food staple, beef empanadas are easy to make and are a taste explosion of flavors. Here is a veggie empanada option.
Tom to Table has a great YouTube video which shows how to make traditional empanadas. He says 3 hours, but that includes time for chilling dough (1 hour) and meat. Best of all he also shows you how to make chimichurri sauce to go with them.
Looking for something sweeter? Try these apple empanadas.
Steak with Chimichurri Sauce (Argentina)
My husband is a huge steak fan. I am not the biggest steak fan, but that was before I learned about Argentinean Chimichurri sauce. This versatile sauce can be used as a marinade, to baste meat and as a dipping sauce. It’s also great if you are serving it on world-renowned Argentinean steak, but it works on any meat.
Chicken with Green Sauce (Peru)
Peruvian chicken with green sauce (Aji Verde) is able to be made quickly (40 minutes) so it’s great for any week night. Merging latin American and Asian influences, this dish provides a flavourful chicken that will please everyone. Feasting at Home has a great Peruvian Chicken recipe to serve with a avocado tomato cucumber salad.
Tamarind Sauce (Ecuador)
South American Tamarind Sauce is a great and versatile food that goes good with beef, duck and almost anything! Tamarind brings great sour tanginess and is great over a plate of beef stew. The meat slowly cooked in a sauce brings together an ideal mix of spicy, sweet and salty. The exact ingredients and quantities vary from one recipe to another, as it does from one region to another, but the objective is always the same: create a delicious tender meat that falls apart with a fork. Check out Laylita’s recipe for Beef Stew with Tamarind Sauce.
Check out the other continents:
Do you have an South American recipes you’d like to share?
