Moqueca De Banana Da Terra with special guest
Abe Hughes
Courtney: Hi, I’m Courtney Uncooked here with my dear friend, Abe Hughes of the Magic Holler Boys, and today we’re going to show you how to make a Brazilian raw vegan fish stew called moqueca. It is delicious. And then after that, Abe is going to play his hit single “Hot and Bothered” for You. Aren’t you Abe?
Abe: Yes.
Courtney: Stay tuned.
Intro: Courtney…Courtney Uncooked. I’m Courtney Uncooked cause that’s how I like my food. The vitamins and the minerals, you know they all get through. Absorbed into the body so that nothing gets lost when you start eating raw of your health you’ll be the boss. Raw vegan for my health and you know that health is wealth. To help you stay your best, we will welcome special guests. So let’s go make a recipe and have lots of fun, your healthy living journey has just begun cause I’m Courtney…Courtney Uncooked.
Courtney: Hi, I’m Courtney Uncooked here with my dear friend, Abe drinking Hughes and Abe, what does the drinking mean? What are you drinking today, buddy?
Abe: Oh, today I’m drinking this Crunchy Hydration.
Courtney: Ah good choice and much healthier than your normal choice, right? So, I love Abe because we play music together, we jam together. We met at the “Half Moon”, which is a local, iconic place here in Virginia Beach…
Abe: Yes.
Courtney: Right around the corner…
Abe: Yes.
Courtney: And “Half Moon” is just like you. It’s a place where you can go and be yourself and I just love that about you. You have a huge heart and you’re just an authentic, real person. There’s just not many people like you today so, yes…
Abe: Thank you for thinking of me that way.
Courtney: And he’s very talented. And if you stay tuned ‘till the end, you’re going to be able to hear him play on the banjo, your hit single called…
Abe: Hot and Bothered.
Courtney: Hot and bothered. Whew.
Abe: This food will make you hot and bothered.
Courtney: This dish actually will make you hot and bothered…
Abe: It’s Brazilian right?
Courtney: Because it’s all the way all the way from Brazil. Exactly.
Abe: Oh yeah, I tell ya.
Courtney: So, I asked Abe, I said, honey, what do you want to make? He said, Courtney Uncooked I want something exotic.
Abe: Yes.
Courtney: So, this is about as exotic as we can get today Abe.
Abe: You know what? For me, it is because I’ve been around the world, but mostly on the Westside. So, this is, you know, Southern America. That’s awesome.
Courtney: And you went around the world for what?
Abe: Oh, I was in the Navy?
Courtney: Yes, thank you for serving.
Abe: I appreciate it.
Courtney: Yeah.
Abe: Yeah. So, I ate a lot of crazy exotic foods. I’m looking at this and this is definitely gonna be one of the most exotic foods I’ve ever ate and it’s so close to home. So, it’s really kind of cool.
Courtney: Good.
Abe: So yeah, Brazil.
Courtney: So, this is actually in Brazil, they eat a fish stew called moqueca. I knew you’d like the name…
Abe: Moqueca.
Courtney: And so, this is the raw vegan version of moqueca. And I learned this from my friend, Dr. Eduardo Corrossa. He’s a doctor of nutrition from Brazil and he showed this to me at the Woodstock Fruit Festival. It is like a party in your mouth. It is so delicious. So, we’re just gonna dive right into it. I’m gonna put you to work Abe. As you can see, I’ve already cut up eight plantains there for you, yes.
Abe: Oh look at that.
Courtney: And so, plantains are going to be tougher than bananas so that you can, you know, stir them up. And we’re just gonna add some tomatoes. Here’s my grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, and then we’re going to put in half of a medium onion.
Abe: Half medium onion.
Courtney: Yes. And a bunch of cilantro.
Abe: It looks so familiar.
Courtney: Really? You probably had it because I knew you like Mexican food. It’s in a…
Abe: Yes.
Courtney: Lot of guacamole. So, you’ve probably accidentally had cilantro before.
Abe: Oh, for sure.
Courtney: And then we’re gonna add in the mushrooms and speaking of mushrooms, how does the mushroom clean its house, Abe?
Abe: I don’t know, how?
Courtney: With a mushbroom!
Abe: Oh.
Courtney: So we’re just going to add those. And why are mushrooms so well behaved?
Abe: I don’t know
Courtney: Because they don’t want to get in a truffle.
Abe: Okay.
Courtney: That’s right. All right.
Abe: Truffle, oh.
Courtney: Good job. Good job. So, we’ll just add in the peppers.
Abe: Oh mhmm.
Courtney: Yes. And then that’s it.
Abe: I like these yellow peppers.
Courtney: So, we’ll just pull this over to you, that’s it. And I’m going to let you mix that up really good! And then while you’re mixing that up, I’m going to make the sauce that we just pour over the top, mix in and we’re done. So, it’s super, super simple. And we’re just going to start with three, the juice of three limes, the meat of three young Thai coconuts. We’re gonna add in a couple of cloves of garlic and two thirds a cup of fresh coconut water, which you can not beat that just came right out of the coconut and the other half of that medium onion, we’re going to add now. And then lots of spices. We’ve got salt, pepper…
Abe: Oh yeah.
Courtney: Oregano, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, we’ve got it all in here.
Abe: How’s this look, does it look alright?
Courtney: That looks great. That looks…
Abe: Looks good.
Courtney: So good. Yes.
Abe: Looks yummy, yummy!
Courtney: And then we’re just going to take our sheets of nori.
Abe: Nori.
Courtney: Nori. My friend Abe here speaks Japanese. So, Abe…
Abe: Chotto. I said that with a hillbilly accent.
Courtney: Tell us what you’re doing right now in Japanese.
Abe: (Abe tells us that he is mixing the vegetables in Japanese)
Courtney: And what am I doing?
Abe: This is a tough Japanese that you’re trying to get me with here.
Courtney: Okay. Well, what do you want to say in Japanese?
Abe: (Abe tells us in Japanese that vegan people are good people.)
Courtney: Yes. Abe loves vegans, don’t you?
Abe: You know what? They accepted me into their group and you know, I am not vegan, but I do like vegan foods. Here I am on the show. I mean, I don’t look like the kind of guy that would be on a show like this and I really appreciate it. Thank you.
Courtney: Oh my gosh, I’ve been waiting to have you.
Abe: Awesome.
Courtney: I’m excited to have you.
Abe: I’m excited to be here. It’s cool.
Courtney: Yes. Well, look at you. You’re doing great. All right. So now I’m going to just get this sauce going.
Abe: What’s that smell like? What does it smell like…I just want to smell it.
Courtney: Like fish stew.
Abe: This smells amazing.
Courtney: Yeah.
Abe: It smells like fish stew?
Courtney: Can you believe we’re making a fish stew into a raw vegan version? This is going to be so delicious. So now I’m gonna to let you mix all of that together.
Abe: Oh Oh Oh Nope.
Courtney: No?
Abe: Let me see that little lady.
Courtney: Show me how it’s done Abe.
Abe: Look at all that.
Courtney: Yes.
Abe: I grew up in a big family with no money so you learn how to spare.
Courtney: Yeah.
Abe: Oh yeah. Now, can this be ate like cookie dough? You know, like, just hold on here, let me see that. Give me a spoon let me try that.
Courtney: Alright. We’ll see what you think of just…
Abe: That’s amazing. What is…? Try it. You just gotta try that.
Courtney: I know it is. That’s looking really good. Now get in there
Abe: Since this is from Brazil, they have a lot of spicy foods in Brazil, right? This seems like something that sauce. It tastes like something that would be…
Courtney: Yeah, it’s going to be pretty spicy.
Abe: It would be hot. Oh really.
Courtney: I mean it’s got a lot of spices and then it’s got the onion. Let’s serve this up.
Abe: Try this out.
Courtney: Chef Abe in the kitchen and get yourself some.
Abe: Bon Appetit!
Courtney: We’ll see. Raw vegan fish stew.
Abe: This is definitely tolerable, to a meat-eater. Do you know what I’m saying? This is good.
Courtney: Making a Brazilian dish with my friend Abe Hughes. He really liked it so that’s great news. It’s made from plantains and lots of coconuts. This dish is so unique it will cure any food rut. It’s flavor is like nothing I’ve never seen before but one thing’s for sure you’re gonna want some more. No, you don’t need a stove or an oven to cook, just a blender, dehydrator, and Courtney Uncooked.
Abe singing Hot and Bothered: I like it when I can touch your hand, fiddle with it while I drive. The little stuff like this keeps me sane, happy to be alive. I forget about this crappy world when I’m sittin’ close to you. And your smile always lasts a while, takes away my blues. Well you got me all hot and bothered when you’re on my mind. When I’m at work or sittin’ at home, thinking of you all the time. If it’s against the law to feel like this then I’ll commit the crime, well you got me all hot and bothered when you’re on my mind.