Virtual African Loop: Angolan Calulu de Peixe

The recipe notes that this is dish is popular in Angola but is Brazilian inspired. Colonialism in cuisine – both Brazil and Angola having been Portuguese colonies.

I invite mom and dad for dinner but I don’t warn them we are having this fish stew. Or that I’m testing any recipe at all. I just make rice and stew and hope for the best. If it’s a fail, there’s always delivery.

I also don’t warn mom that it has okra in it, though she notices that the same way I notice peas in a dish: Immediately and with a little horror.

I ask if she needs a bowl to pick the okra out of the dish and in a move that has me written all over it, she says yes.

I am dumbfounded that she says this.

But the okra tastes like everything around it, so nothing gets pulled out in the end except the bay leaves – the dish is a hit!

How much of a hit? I’m making it again by request.

So all’s well that ends well. And this did!

Give it a try, maybe. It’s quite nice.