Brazilian cuisine

Brazilian cuisineis the set of cooking practices and traditions ofBrazil, and is characterized byEuropean,Amerindian,African, and Asian (Levantine,Japanese, and most recently,Chinese) influences.It varies greatly by region, reflecting the country's mix of native and immigrant populations, and its continental size as well. This has created a national cuisine marked by the preservation of regional differences.
Ingredients first used by native peoples in Brazil includecashews,cassava,guaraná,açaí,cumaru,andtucupi. From there, the many waves of immigrants brought some of their typical dishes, replacing missing ingredients with local equivalents. For instance, the European immigrants (primarily fromPortugal,Italy,Spain,Germany,Netherlands,Poland, andUkraine), were accustomed to a wheat-based diet, and introducedwine,leafy vegetables, anddairyproducts into Brazilian cuisine. Whenpotatoeswere not available, they discovered how to use the native sweetmaniocas a replacement.Enslaved Africans also had a role in developing Brazilian cuisine, especially in the coastalstates. The foreign influence extended to later migratory waves;Japanese immigrantsbrought most of the food items that Brazilians associate with Asian cuisine today,and introduced large-scale aviaries well into the 20th century.
The most visible regional cuisines belong to the states ofMinas GeraisandBahia. Minas Gerais cuisine has European influence in delicacies and dairy products such asfeijão tropeiro,pão de queijoandMinas cheese, and Bahian cuisine due to the presence of African delicacies such as acarajé, abará and vatapá.
Root vegetablessuch asmanioc(locally known asmandioca,aipimormacaxeira, among other names),yams, andfruitlikeaçaí,cupuaçu,mango,papaya,guava,orange,passion fruit,pineapple, andhog plumare among the local ingredients used in cooking.
Some typical dishes arefeijoada, considered the country's national dish,and regional foods such asbeiju[pt], feijão tropeiro,vatapá,moqueca capixaba,polenta(from Italian cuisine) andacarajé(from African cuisine).There is alsocaruru, which consists ofokra, onion, dried shrimp, and toasted nuts (peanuts or cashews), cooked withpalm oiluntil a spread-like consistency is reached;moqueca baiana, consisting of slow-cooked fish inpalm oilandcoconut milk,tomatoes,bell peppers, onions, garlic and topped withcilantro.
The national beverage iscoffee, whilecachaçais Brazil's nativeliquor. Cachaça is distilled from fermentedsugar canemust, and is the main ingredient in the national cocktail,caipirinha.
Cheese buns(pão-de-queijo), andsalgadinhossuch aspastéis,coxinhas,risólisandkibbeh(from Arabic cuisine) are commonfinger fooditems, whilecuscuz de tapioca(milledtapioca) is a popular dessert.
There is not an exact single "national Brazilian cuisine", but there is an assortment of various regional traditions and typical dishes. This diversity is linked to the origins of the people inhabiting each area.
For instance, the cuisine ofBahiais heavily influenced by a mix of African, Indigenous, and Portuguese cuisines.Chili(includingchili sauces) and palm oil are very common. In the northern states, however, due to the abundance of forest and freshwater rivers, fish, fruits and cassava (including flours made of cassava) are staple foods. In the deep south, as inRio Grande do Sul, the influence shifts more towardsgaúchotraditions shared with its neighbors Argentina and Uruguay, with many meat-based products, due to this region's livestock-based economy; thechurrasco, a kind of barbecue, is a local tradition.
InGoiásState, thepequiis used in many typical foods, especially the "arroz com pequi" (rice cooked with pequi), and in snacks, mostly as a filling forpastel, in this state is very common the presence of chestnuts, and palm trees. Also, a mixture of chicken and rice known asgalinhadais very popular. The states ofMato GrossoandMato Grosso do Sulreceived influence from neighboring countries in their cuisine, as well as thePantanalarea and its various rivers and extensive wetlands that cross these two states with a high abundance of fish.
InRio de Janeiro,São Paulo,Espírito Santo, andMinas Gerais,feijoadais popular, especially as a Wednesday or Saturday lunch. Also consumed frequently ispicadinho(literally, diced meat) andrice and beans.In Rio de Janeiro, besides thefeijoada, a popular plate is any variation of grilled beef fillet, rice and beans,farofa, fried garlic and fried potatoes (batatas portuguesas), commonly calledfilé àOsvaldo Aranha. Seafood is very popular in coastal areas, as is roasted chicken (galeto). The strong Portuguese heritage also endowed the city with a taste forbolinhos de bacalhau(fried cod fritters), one of the most common street foods there.
In São Paulo, a typical dish isvirado à paulista, made with rice,virado de feijão(similar to atutu), sauteedkale, fried plantains or bananas and pork chops. São Paulo is also the home ofpastel, a food consisting of thinpastryenvelopes wrapped around assorted fillings, then deep-fried in vegetable oil. It is a common belief that they originated whenChineseandJapaneseimmigrants adapted the recipe of fried spring rolls to sell as snacks at weekly street markets. São Paulo is also known forparmegianna.
In Minas Gerais, the regional dishes include corn, pork, beans, chicken (including the very typical dishfrango com quiabo, or chicken withokra),tutu de feijão(puréed beans mixed with cassava flour), and local soft-ripenedtraditional cheeses.
InEspírito Santo, there is significant Italian and German influence in local dishes, both savory and sweet.The state dish, though, is ofAmerindianorigin,calledmoqueca capixaba, which is a tomato and fish stew traditionally prepared in apanela de Goiabeiras(pot made of clay from Goiabeiras district inVitória). Amerindian and Italian cuisine are the two main pillars of Capixaba cuisine. Seafood dishes, in general, are very popular in Espírito Santo, but unlike other Amerindian dishes, the use of olive oil is almost mandatory.Bobó de camarão, torta capixaba, andpolentaare also very popular.
In Southern Brazil, due to the long tradition inlivestockproduction and the heavy German immigration, red meat is the basis of the local cuisine.
Besides many of the pasta, sausage and dessert dishes common to continental Europe,churrascois the term for a barbecue (similar to the Argentine or Uruguayanasado) which originated in southern Brazil. It contains a variety of meats which may be cooked on a purpose-builtchurrasqueira, a barbecue grill, often with supports for spits or skewers. Portablechurrasqueirasare similar to those used to prepare the Argentine and Uruguayan asado, with a grill support, but many Brazilianchurrasqueirasdo not have grills, only the skewers above the embers. The meat may alternatively be cooked on large metal or wood skewers resting on a support or stuck into the ground and roasted with the embers of charcoal (wood may also be used, especially in the State of Rio Grande do Sul).
Since gaúchos were nomadic and lived off the land, they had no way of preserving food; the gauchos would gather together after butchering a cow, and skewer and cook the large portions of meat immediately over a wood-burning fire (not exactly as gauchos also producedcharque). The slow-cooked meat basted in its own juices and resulted in tender, flavorful steaks.This style has inspired many contemporarychurrascariawhich emulates the cooking style where waiters bring large cuts of roasted meat to diners' tables and carve portions to order.
Thechimarrãois the regional beverage, often associated with thegaúchoimage.
The most typical dishes ofRio Grande do Sulcuisine arechurrasco,chimarrão,arroz carreteiro, friedpolenta, galeto,cuca, andsagu, among others.In the region there is a large consumption ofwine,grape juiceand white grape juice due to the south being the largest grape producer in the country, and artisanal cheeses andsalamis.In the region,fig,grapeandpeachjellies and jams are also very common. One of the most famous is chimia. The consumption of vegetablespreserved in water, vinegar, sugar, salt and spices, such asbeetsandcucumbers, is also typical of the Southern Region.
The Northeastern Brazilian cuisine is heavily influenced by African cuisine from the coastal areas ofPernambucotoBahia, as well as the eating habits of indigenous populations that lived in the region.
Thevatapáis a Brazilian dish made frombread,shrimp,coconut milk, finely groundpeanutsandpalm oilmashed into a creamy paste.
Thebobó de camarãois a dish made with cassava and shrimp (camarão).
Theacarajéis a dish made from peeledblack-eyed peasformed into a ball and then deep-fried indendê(palm oil). Often sold as street food, it is served split in half and then stuffed withvatapáandcaruru.Acarajé is typically available outside of the state of Bahia as well.
In other areas, more to the west or away from the coast, the plates are most reminiscent of the indigenous cuisine, with many vegetables being cultivated in the area since before the arrival of the Portuguese. Examples includebaião de dois, made with rice and beans, dried meat, butter,queijo coalhoand other ingredients. Jaggery is also heavily identified with the Northeast, as it iscarne-de-sol,paçoca de pilão, andbolo de rolo.
Tapiocaflatbreads or pancakes are also commonly served for breakfast in some states, with a filling of either coconut, cheese or condensed milk, butter, and certain meats. They can also be filled with dessert toppings as well.
The cuisine of this region, which includes the states ofAcre,Amazonas,Amapá,Pará,Rondônia,Roraima, andTocantins, is heavily influenced by indigenous cuisine. In the state of Pará, there are several typical dishes, including:
Pato no tucupi(duck in tucupi) – one of the most famous dishes from Pará. It is associated with theCírio de Nazaré, a localRoman Catholiccelebration. The dish is made withtucupi(yellow broth extracted from cassava, after the fermentation process of the broth remained after the starch had been taken off, from the raw ground manioc root, pressed by a cloth, with some water; if added maniva, the manioc ground up external part, that is poisonous because of thecyanic acid, and so must be cooked for several days). After cooking, the duck is cut into pieces and boiled intucupisauce for some time. Thejambuis boiled in water with salt, drained, and put on the duck. It is served with white rice and manioc flour and corn tortillas.
Salgadinhosare small savoury snacks (literallysalties). Similar toSpanishtapas, these are mostly sold in corner shops and are a staple at working-class and lower-middle-class family celebrations. There are many types of pastries:
Other appetizers that can typically be found in Brazilian territory are:croquette,rissole, coxa-creme,cueca virada, bolinho de aipim (cassava pastries), among others.
Brazilian cuisine is recognized around the world for its variety and quality. The city ofSão Paulowas chosen as the 7th main gastronomic destination in the world, for its recognizedrestaurantsandbars. This Brazilian city comes afterRome,London,Paris,Dubai,BarcelonaandMadrid. The city of São Paulo alone has more than 9,000 restaurants and bars.
Also noteworthy are:
Several types ofcheeseare produced exclusively in Brazil. The characteristics vary between the different states of the country, mainly depending on the climate, type of soil and cattle diet, which causes subtle changes in the quality of the milk. The dairy-producing state ofMinas Geraisis known for most of these cheeses. Some of them are considered among the best cheeses in the world. Some of the country's most famous cheeses are:
Cachaçais Brazil's nativeliquor, distilled fromsugar caneand it is the main ingredient in the national drink, theCaipirinha. Other drinks includemate tea,chimarrãoandtereré(both made up ofyerba maté),coffee, fruit juice,beer(mainlyPilsenvariety), rum, guaraná and batidas.Guaranáis a caffeinated soft drink made from guaraná seeds andbatidais a type of fruit punch.
Other drinks include:
Brazil has a tradition of manufacturing jams and jellies from fresh tropical fruits, as Brazil is recognized worldwide as a country with great characteristics in food production, being one of the largest food exporters in the world. Brazilians inherited the taste and cultivation ofsugarfrom thePortuguesewhoimmigrated to Brazil. In the kitchens of the sugar farms, the wives of thefarmerstaught the subordinates how to properly mix the ingredients. This led to a growth in its commercialization in the Brazilian market, Portuguese recipes spread throughout the Brazilian colony and became part of the colonial food menu.
The Portuguese tradition of producingsweetswitheggsand sugar joined the immense variety of Braziliantropical fruits, which provided an immense menu of delicacies. Brazil has a variety of candies such asbrigadeiros(chocolate fudge balls),cocada(a coconut sweet),beijinhos(coconut truffles and clove) andRomeu e Julieta(cheese with a guava jam known asgoiabada).
Peanuts are used to makepaçoca,rapaduraandpé-de-moleque. Local common fruits likeaçaí,cupuaçu,mango,papaya,cocoa,cashew,guava,orange,passionfruit,pineapple, andhog plumare turned injuicesand used to makechocolates,ice popsandice cream.
A simple and usually inexpensive option, which is also advisable forvegetarians, iscomida a quiloorcomida por quilorestaurants (literally "food by kilo value"), abuffetwhere food is paid for by weight. Another common style is the all-you-can-eat restaurant where customers pay aprix fixe. In both types (known collectively as "self-services"), customers usually assemble the dishes of their choice from a large buffet.
Rodíziois a common style of service, in which aprix fixeis paid, and servers circulate with food. This is common inchurrascarias, pizzerias and sushi (Japanese cuisine) restaurants, resulting in an all-you-can-eat meat barbecue and pizzas of varied flavours, usually one slice being served at a time.
The regular restaurant where there is a specific price for each meal is called "restaurante à la carte".
Although many traditional dishes are prepared with meat or fish, it is not difficult to live onvegetarian foodas well, at least in the mid-sized and larger cities of Brazil. There is a rich supply of all kinds of fruits and vegetables, and on city streets one can find cheese buns (pão de queijo); in some cities even the version made ofsoy.
In the 2000s,São Paulo,Rio de JaneiroandBrasíliahave gained several vegetarian andveganrestaurants.However outside big metropolises, vegetarianism is not very common in the country. Not every restaurant will provide vegetarian dishes and some seemingly vegetarian meals may turn out to include unwanted ingredients, for instance, usinglardfor cookingbeans. Commonly "meat" is understood to mean "red meat", so some people might assume a vegetarian eats fish and chicken.Comida por quiloand all-you-can-eat restaurants prepare a wide range of fresh dishes. Diners can more easily find food in such restaurants that satisfies dietary restrictions.
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