Two-Way Bay

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The Two-Way Bay is a traditional and very popular dish in northeastern cuisine brasileira, especialmente do estado do Ceará. Conhecido por sua combinação saborosa e simples, ele une arroz, feijão verde (ou feijão macassa), carne de sol e queijo coalho, criando um prato nutritivo e cheio de sabor. Seu nome, “Baião”, faz referência à dança tradicional nordestina, e “dois” simboliza a união dos dois principais ingredientes do prato: o arroz e o feijão.

This dish, besides being a true delicacy, is also an excellent option to serve at family lunches and dinners, as it is comforting, tasty and easy to prepare. If you are looking for a meal full of flavor and authenticity, Two-Way Bay is the perfect choice.

Here is the complete recipe for you to prepare one Two-Way Bay delicious in your home!

Ingredients:

• For the Baião de Dois:
  • 2 cups of rice (preferably long grain rice)
  • 1 cup green beans (or macassa beans)
  • 500g of shredded sun-dried meat (or jerky)
  • 150g of cubed curd cheese
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 chopped garlic cloves
  • 1 green pepper, chopped (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or cooking oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin (optional, for an extra kick of flavor)
  • Salt and pepper to taste.
  • 4 cups of water
  • Green smell to taste (to finish)
• For the green beans:
  • 1 cup green beans (can be macassa beans or string beans)
  • 3 cups of water
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Cooking the Green Beans:

Green beans are the ingredient that gives Baião de Dois its characteristic flavor, so the first step is to cook them correctly.

• Wash the green beans well and place them in a pressure cooker with 3 cups of water, the bay leaf and a little salt.
• Cook the beans for about 20 to 25 minutes after it starts to come to pressure, until it becomes very soft, but without falling apart. If you are using macassa beans, the time may vary a little, so always check the softness.
• When the beans are cooked, remove from the heat, drain excess water (if any) and set aside.

2. Preparing the Sun-dried Meat:

Sun-dried meat is one of the main ingredients in this dish, providing an irresistible and deep flavor. If you don't have sun-dried meat, you can substitute it with jerked beef or even shredded chicken.

• Desalt the sun-dried meat, if necessary, by leaving it to soak in water for 12 to 24 hours, changing the water a few times.
• Cook the sun-dried meat in water until it is very tender. This can take about 40 to 50 minutes over medium heat.
• Once the meat is tender, shred it into small pieces and set aside.

3. Sautéing the Ingredients:

Now that the beans and sun-dried meat are ready, it's time to start preparing the rice.

• In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil (or oil) and sauté the onion, garlic and pepper until golden brown and soft.
• Add the shredded sun-dried meat and sauté for a few more minutes, until it is well coated in the seasoning.
• If you want a touch of spice, add cumin and mix well.
• Add the rice and sauté for a few minutes, stirring so that the rice absorbs the flavors of the meat and seasonings.

4. Cooking the Baião de Dois:

Now that the base of the dish is ready, let's add the rice and beans and finish the Baião de Dois.

• Add the cooked green beans to the rice, mixing well so that everything is evenly distributed.
• Add the water (approximately 4 cups) and the bay leaf. Let the rice cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked, which may take about 20 minutes. If necessary, add more water during cooking.
• When the rice is ready and the water has been absorbed, add the curd cheese cubes on top of the dish and stir gently, allowing the cheese to melt with the heat of the rice.

5. Finishing the Baião de Dois:

• Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
• Turn off the heat and let the Baião de Dois rest for a few minutes before serving.
• Finish with chopped chives to add freshness to the dish.

Extra Tips:

• Sun dried meat: If you prefer a lighter dish, you can replace the sun-dried meat with shredded chicken breast or cooked beef, but the sun-dried meat is the real star of this dish.
• Green Beans: If you can't find green beans, you can use string beans, which are also very common in northeastern dishes.
• Curd Cheese: The cheese curd can be fried and added at the end for an extra touch of crunch. The combination of melted cheese and beans is irresistible!

How to serve:

The Two-Way Bay It is a complete dish, perfect to be served as a main course. You can accompany it with a green salad, such as arugula or lettuce, and even with a simple butter farofa, to make the meal even more delicious. There is no doubt that Baião de Dois is the right choice for a Sunday lunch with the family or a get-together with friends.