WORDS + RECIPE: CARLOS FERNANDES
PHOTOS: NOAH GANHÃO
Which is the most influential cuisine on the planet? French? Italian? Chinese? Portuguese.
My proof? A humble recipe that my mother passed down to me, peixinhos da horta (Little fish from the garden). This may seem like a bold and biased—okay, very biased—statement, but I’ve tasted the evidence. The smell of deep-fried vegetables is ingrained in my memory… and the internet is full of facts to back up my statement.
Peixinhos da horta are simply battered and deep-fried green beans that resemble tiny fried fish (the name literally means “little fish from the vegetable garden”). They’re one of the rare vegetarian dishes in traditional Portuguese cuisine, but to me, they’re much more than that. They take me back to childhood, when my mom would carefully select the freshest green beans, coat them in a light batter and fry them to golden perfection. The result? A crunchy, savoury bite with a tender center, turning simple vegetables into a moment of indulgence. Despite its simplicity, the dish carried the warmth and love of home… To this day, I find myself craving those crispy bites dunked in a garlic mayo or tangy piri-piri sauce.
This recipe is more than comfort food, it’s a connection to my heritage passed down through generations. While we don’t know the exact origin, we do know that by 1543, peixinhos da horta had already made its mark. That’s the year a Chinese ship, headed for Macau, was blown off course and ended up in Japan. On board? Three Portuguese sailors—the first Europeans to set foot on Japanese soil. Amid the chaos of Japan’s civil war, Portugal seized the opportunity and established a trading post, bringing not just firearms and tobacco, but also Catholicism.
With Catholicism came Lent, a time of fasting when meat was off the table. Fish was the go-to for many, but for those who couldn’t afford it, deep-fried beans were the next best option. The Latin term for these fasting days is “Tempora,” and the Portuguese word for seasoning is “tempero.” It’s widely believed that these words inspired the term 天患看 (tempura), now a beloved staple in Japanese cuisine.
There you have it, ahead of making it to my family kitchen, the peixinhos sailed across continents and influenced the creation of tempura in Japan. The Portuguese culinary influence didn’t stop there… Chinese egg tarts? Descendants of our pastel de nata. Indian vindaloo? Born from a Portuguese marinade called vinha d’alhos. Brazil’s national dish, feijoada? You guessed it—straight from the Minho region of Portugal.
So yes, my mother’s peixinhos da horta aren’t just a delicious reminder of home. They’re a testament to Portugal’s global culinary influence. And if you’ve learned one thing from today, let it be this: if you want to make friends, bring food—preferably something deep-fried.
Peixinhos de horta
INGREDIENTS
- 300 G GREEN BEANS*
- 100 G ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
- 1 EGG 150 ML COLD WATER **
- PINCH OF SALT
- PINCH OF BAKING SODA
- PINCH OF BLACK PEPPER
- VEGETABLE OIL FOR FRYING
DIRECTIONS
- Fill a pot with enough water to cook your beans, add a sprinkle of salt and bring it to a boil.
- Wash and trim the ends of the green beans.
- Add the beans to the water and blanch them for 2-3 minutes.
- Drain and pat dry with a towel.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, egg, baking soda and cold water until smooth. The batter should be slightly thick but not overly heavy.
- Add a pinch of salt and pepper to season.
- Pour enough vegetable oil into a deep skillet or frying pan to submerge the beans halfway (about 2 cm).
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 180°C (350°F) or until a drop of batter sizzles when added.
- Dip each green bean into the batter, ensuring it is evenly coated.
- Gently place the battered beans into the hot oil, frying a few at a time to avoid overcrowding.
- Fry for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and crispy.
- Remove the fried beans with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with paper towel to drain any excess oil.
- Serve warm with a sprinkle of sea salt or alongside a dipping sauce like garlic aioli or piri-piri sauce.
CHEF’S NOTES: * I PREFER FLAT GREEN BEANS (ROMANO) BUT ANY WILL WORK.
** FOR A CRISPIER BATTER, USE COLD SPARKLING WATER.
Avô tip: Best eaten warm out of the frying pan