Coxinha facts for kids
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Brazilian coxinha
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| Place of origin | Brazilian |
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| Region or state | All country |
| Main ingredients | Chicken (sometimes cooked unripe jackfruit), broth, flour, sometimes potatoes |
Coxinha (pronounced ko-SHEEN-ya) is a super popular snack from Brazil. It's made with shredded chicken meat wrapped in a soft dough. The dough is shaped like a little chicken drumstick. Then, it's covered in a crispy batter and deep-fried until golden. It's a delicious and fun treat!
Contents
The Story Behind Coxinha
Coxinhas were first made with any part of the chicken. Their special shape is meant to look like a chicken drumstick. The modern version might have started in a place called Limeira in the 1800s.
A fun story about the coxinha's origin comes from the book Stories & Recipes. It says that the son of Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil (who lived from 1846 to 1921) loved chicken. But he would only eat the drumstick!
One day, the cook didn't have enough drumsticks for him. So, she got creative! She shredded a whole chicken and mixed it with flour dough. Then, she shaped the dough to look like drumsticks. The boy loved it!
When Empress Teresa Cristina visited, she tried this tasty snack. She liked it so much that she asked the royal kitchen to learn how to make it. And that's how the coxinha became famous!
How Coxinha is Made
Making a coxinha starts with a special dough. It's usually made from wheat flour and chicken broth. Sometimes, mashed potato is added to make it even softer.
The inside, or filling, is usually shredded chicken. This chicken is cooked with yummy spices. Sometimes, a whole chicken drumstick is used instead.
Other things often added to the filling include catupiry cheese or requeijão (a creamy Brazilian cheese). You might also find onions, parsley, and scallions. Some recipes add a little tomato sauce or turmeric for extra flavor and color.
Once the coxinha is shaped like a drumstick, it gets a coating. First, it's dipped in a liquid batter. Then, it's rolled in bread crumbs or manioc flour. Finally, it's ready for deep frying until it's perfectly crispy and golden brown. The dough often uses the chicken broth, which makes the whole snack taste even better!
Different Kinds of Coxinha
Today, you can find many different kinds of coxinha. One popular type is the coxinha mineira. This one has maize (corn) in the filling. It's named after the state of Minas Gerais, where corn is a big part of their cooking.
Cheese coxinhas are also very common in snack bars. These are filled with different kinds of cheese. In Curitiba, you can even find chicken coxinhas with cheddar and Araucaria nuts! To show it's a cheese coxinha, they sometimes put a toothpick where the bone would be.
People also get creative at home with other fillings. Some homemade coxinhas might have peas, mushrooms, palm heart, or carrot. You might even find them with cooked cashew apples or unripe jackfruit.
For those who don't eat meat, there are vegetarian versions. These can be made with textured vegetable protein (like soy meat) or even falafel. These special versions are usually found in homes, not often in snack bars.
What's in a Name?
The word coxinha literally means "little thigh" in Portuguese. This is how deep-fried chicken legs are often called in Brazil. For example, a deep-fried chicken leg is called coxa frita.
So, when you eat a coxinha, you're enjoying a "little thigh" that's a big part of Brazilian food culture!
See also
In Spanish: Coxinha para niños
Images for kids
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Coxinha before frying. Notice the green parsley in the seasoning.
