Dendê palm oil is one of the main ingredients in many Brazilian dishes.
It is available in specialty markets that sell South American ingredients.
This recipe offers you a substitute for this oil, which might not be available
in your area. It uses annatto seeds, popular in the cooking of Espírito
Santo. The recipe also suggests alternate spices if annatto seeds
are not available. The fi nished oil achieves not quite the same fl avor as
dendê oil, but it is delicious and will add a Brazilian fl avor and color to
the recipes

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 x 12-inch cheesecloth
1 teaspoon ground annatto seeds or 1/2 teaspoon each of paprika and ground turmeric

• Pour the oil into a medium-size pan.
• Add the spices and mix well with a small whisk.
• Fold the cheesecloth in thirds, place it in a fi ne mesh strainer, and put the strainer over a heatproof bowl near the stove.

• Place the pan over medium heat. Stir the oil occasionally to dissolve the spices.
• After about 3 to 4 minutes, small bubbles will begin to appear in the oil. As soon as that happens, turn the heat off and let the pan stand for 5 minutes.
• Strain the oil through the cheesecloth.
• Once the oil has cooled completely, pour into a clean glass jar with a tight-fi tting lid, and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

This recipe currently has 0 comments. Add your own comment in the right hand menu.