Arroz de Cuxá

📜 Ingredients

• •white rice2 cups
• •vinagreira2 medium bunches, leaves only🔁 Swiss chard with a few drops of lemon juice — It partly recreates the volume and acidity, but not vinagreira's distinctive vegetal fragrance.
• •dried shrimp150 g (5 oz)🔁 small peeled dried shrimp — Keep the desalting step; the smaller size changes only the texture, not the dish's identity.
• •sesame seeds3 tablespoons
• •fine cassava flour2 tablespoons🔁 very finely ground biju cassava flour — The texture will be more granular; use a small amount so the cuxá does not lose its moisture.
• •onion1 medium, finely chopped
• •garlic2 cloves, chopped
• •tomatoes2 small, seeded and chopped
• •scallions3 tablespoons, sliced
• 🌶️pimenta-de-cheiro1 small, seeded and chopped, or to taste
• •olive oil4 tablespoons
• •waterenough to desalt the shrimp, blanch the vinagreira, and cook the rice
• •saltto taste

👨‍🍳 Preparation

1. 1

   Rinse the dried shrimp under running water. Soak it in enough cold water to cover for 30 to 60 minutes, changing the water once or twice, until the excess salt is reduced. Drain, taste a piece, and set aside.

   Desalting is essential: dried shrimp can vary greatly in intensity from one supplier to another.

2. 2

   Wash the vinagreira. Bring water to a boil in a large pot and add the leaves for 2 to 3 minutes, just until wilted and intensely green. Drain, let cool slightly, and finely chop.

   Avoid overcooking: the leaves should retain their acidity rather than turn into a dull paste.

3. 3

   Toast the sesame in a dry skillet over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring continuously, until fragrant and lightly golden. Pound or pulse it with half the dried shrimp until it forms a moist, uneven crumb.

   Do not toast over high heat; the sesame will turn bitter before it browns evenly.

4. 4

   Cook the rice in a covered saucepan with enough water to cover it and rise about a finger-width above it. Keep over low heat for 15 to 18 minutes, until the grains are tender and the water has dried up; turn off the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

   Keep the rice fluffy, as it will still absorb moisture from the cuxá.

5. 5

   Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion for 4 to 5 minutes, until translucent; add the garlic and pimenta-de-cheiro for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the tomatoes, scallions, and remaining dried shrimp; cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the tomatoes soften.

   Adjust the salt only after the shrimp has warmed through, so the sauté does not become too salty.

6. 6

   Add the vinagreira, the sesame-shrimp mixture, and the cassava flour. Stir over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cuxá is moist, cohesive, and free of loose liquid.

   The cuxá should be thick but never dry; if needed, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of hot water.

7. 7

   Fold the cuxá into the cooked rice with a light hand and warm for 2 minutes over low heat, just until everything is hot. Serve immediately.

   Traditionally, arroz de cuxá is served with fried fish or fresh shrimp.