Angola – Catatos
by Mimi Joseph
Insects are another world of benefits when considered by their nutritional content. Catatos is another cuisine from Angola that will leave you amazed, it’s all about caterpillars. These are among other insects with high level of nutritional proteins and irons.
Some may find it weird to taste this cuisine, but once you notice that meat like texture, then your taste buds will demand more and more.
Do not forget that bundle of nutritional profits more better to beef or fish.
It is not that much harder to get them from supermarkets or public markets, because they are sold packed while already cooked or fried.
Some use intensive mechanisms to dry them by heat, vapor or even gases that keeps the meal nature longer nutritious.
You may have all at ease if all this needs are near to find, but what if you can get only the insects?, welcome and join me to this taste cuisine from Angola, the Catatos.
Preparation
- 3 cups of caterpillars
- 3 cups of cold water
- Soak in water and remove internal wastes and other hard parts.
- 1 big bulb onion
- Grinned garlic (3 teaspoons)
- 2 tomatoes
- Peanut butter (2 teaspoons)
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- pepper powder
- 1 pepper
- oil
Cooking procedures
- Prepare onions and tomatoes, chop onions and blend tomatoes respectively.
- After cleaning the caterpillars, dry them softly in open sun or microwave for few minutes, mostly 3 minutes with warm temperature.
- Take frying pan, add oil and heat it low.
- Once oil get heat well, put in onions and fry for 30 seconds. add in garlic then fry until onions change color to brownish.
- Add in pepper pieces make sure they don’t burn long, only 30 seconds less, because pepper vapor is unfriend to throat and eyes.
- Add in the caterpillars and salt, fry slowly for about 8 minutes.
Most people here in Angola like it fried only, but you may add more flavor with tomatoes and peanut butter as follows;
- Add in tomatoes and mix them well. Fry for 5 – 7 minutes, leave it to boil.
- Add peanut to the end and boil for the mix in 3 minutes less.
- Our cuisine is ready.
Don’t forget the best side dish to go with, the Fufu (Cassava fufu), this is a stiff porridge from cassava flour, here is the short hints to make it;
- Boil water of about 1 ltr for 1/2 kg of cassava flour.
- Once boiled well, pour in 3/4 flour and start to mix, then add a little at a time until it becomes stiff.
- Mix well so that no bubble flour should form.
Enjoy this cuisine with a hot Fufu, rice, Bananas, Porridge or juice.
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