This week we explored the cuisine of the African country Mozambique. A couple weeks ago, Anthony Bourdain featured Mozambique on No Reservations. If you get a chance to watch it please do. Mozambique is abundant in plants and spices, as well as seafood from the coast, the cuisine was much different than I had imagined it would be, as it is mainly influenced by Portugese cuisine. Portugal ruled Mozambique since the 1500’s, until the return of Democracy in the 1970’s, they were then in a civil war for nearly 10 years, ending in 1992. The country is still in the rebuilding process, after watching the No Resevations episode, it’s amazing how positive the Mozambique people are after so much bloodshed. It’s very inspiring (and the food looked really tasty too!)
Peri Peri Chicken
Mozambique is mostly known for there Peri Peri Chicken. It is traditionally made with a sauce from the Piri Piri pepper, which I could not find, so used local peppers. I took a whole chicken and butterflied it, here is a tutorial if you have never butterflied a chicken, it makes the grilling process quicker and easier, http://video.about.com/bbq/How-to-Butterfly-a-Chicken.htm The sauce was absolutely delicious, I marinated the chicken in it for several hours, placed the butterflied chicken on a low grill heat, basted it with the sauce over and over. I also placed three foil wrapped bricks on the chicken so it would press against the grill grates to get a little more charred effect. I believe it cooked for 2.5 hours, making it super juicy. I just wish I had made more sauce for dipping afterwards. If you have time for a juicy chicken and like some heat, please try this recipe!
Here is the Peri Peri Chicken recipe, I added quite a bit more garlic though, http://allrecipes.com/recipe/peri-peri-african-chicken/
I also made this coconut rice that went really well with the chicken, http://www.food.com/recipe/arroz-de-coco-172784
Peri Peri Chicken with Coconut Rice
Mozambique Squash Soup
This was absolutely incredible, and very very healthy! So much flavor, and seems so hearty.
Recipe- http://travel.allafrica.com/view/recipes/main/id/09DF9M_K3LAJu2li.html
Boiling the butternut squash
These two dishes went great together for a filling a tasty dinner, we finished the night off playing Sequence by candlelight (the electric was out for quite sometime for some unknown reason.)
My Curious Palate 
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