Unique fruits not found in Europe, specific dishes that combine the influence of Indian, Portuguese and African culinary traditions - this is the quintessence of Brazilian cuisine, which delights in tastes, ways of serving dishes and is so diverse that every gourmet will find in it something for everyone. myself.
Brazil is the largest country in South America and the fifth largest in the world and is famous for its rich culture. The first, most important creators of this culture were, of course, the Indians. They left precious monuments, rituals and beliefs, as well as culinary discoveries, such as cocoa, all over Latin America. It is to them that we owe the opportunity to enjoy such a delicacy as chocolate.
The discovery by Europeans of South America, and later of Brazil, radically changed the life of local Indian tribes. The Portuguese were the first to colonize the newly discovered lands and look for ways to enrich and multiply their fortunes. The cultivation of sugar cane, deforestation, and later the cultivation of cotton caused an increased demand for cheap labor and slaves. First they were the Indians, and then thousands of slaves brought from Africa. Despite living in captivity, they also had a great influence on the development of the new state, its culture and cuisine. There are regions in Brazil that are still predominantly inhabited by people of African descent, where the cuisine is still based on ingredients and recipes invented by their ancestors.
Representatives of other nationalities also arrived in Brazil with various waves of emigration: Italians, Spaniards, Lebanese, Japanese. All these nations have created and continue to create a real cultural mixture, but still retain their national identity. This is especially noticeable in Brazilian cuisine, where dishes from one tradition are often enriched with ingredients from another, for example, real Japanese sushi with Brazilian spices. It is difficult to resist the fruits characteristic of the local climate (guarana, passion fruit, coconuts) and the product known on this continent as cassava. The specific combination of different tastes and cultures best illustrates life in the major cities of Brazil. An example is Rio de Janeiro, known for the most colorful and crazy carnival. Here you will find influences from Italian, French, African and even Polish and Japanese culinary traditions, all of which can be enriched with purely Brazilian ones.
Five Worlds of Brazilian Cuisine
Brazil can be divided into five distinct culinary regions. Each of them is a separate world with its own tastes and aromas.
North
This region with vast areas of tropical forests and a large Amazon basin is called the Amazon. Native Indians still live here. It is the north that is the original source of Brazilian cuisine and the basis for other culinary regions. The variety of tropical fruits such as mangoes, cocoa beans, coconuts is amazing here. An important element of this cuisine is also fish. It is also worth noting cassava, a plant that, after drying, is processed into flour, the basis of many regional dishes popular in Latin America. In general, this region is famous for cuisine based on what nature gives her, and her gifts are generous.
Northeast
The territory located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean is often haunted by heavy rains, but the farther from the ocean, the climate becomes more and more dry. The largest state in the region, which has the greatest influence of African traditions, is Bahia, which is also inhabited by people of Portuguese and Amerindian origin. These nations also influence the variety of local cuisine.
Extremely popular in this region is karuru, a dish of shrimp, onions, palm oil and nuts. Due to the high humidity, the coastal zone is very rich in many types of tropical fruits, such as passion fruit, pineapple, oranges, mangoes. Sugar cane is grown here on a large scale, hence the use of cane sugar is almost universal.
Dried shrimp and other seafood are often added to many dishes. One such dish is moqueca, a fish stew with onions, tomatoes, coriander, and chili peppers. In the state of Bahia, shrimp or crabs, coconut milk and palm oil are also added to it - elements of African cuisine. There is another version of this dish: in the south-east of the country, olive oil is added instead of palm oil.
The farther we move inland from the coast, the more “meaty” the dishes become. Thanks to large livestock farms, a significant amount of meat is used here, especially beef jerky with the addition of beans, rice and corn. As in all of Brazil, grilling meat is popular in this region. According to the Brazilians, literally everything is suitable for local barbecue - both fruits and various types of meat.
West
Huge dry and grassy area. Access to fresh tropical fruits and seafood is severely limited, so the region's cuisine is based mainly on meats and fish from nearby rivers, corn, rice and cassava.
Southeast
A region that boasts the capital of São Paulo and Brazil's second largest city, crazy Rio. The states in which these cities are located are often visited by foreigners, so the local cuisine is a combination of Brazilian culture and influences from other parts of the world. The population of the region uses corn, beans, rice and meat in their cuisine. The standard dish is feijoada, which just has all the above ingredients.
All kinds of fruits are also extremely popular, usually served in the form of juice - ideal for hot summer days. The most popular drink is the juice of green coconuts, consumed through a straw straight from the coconut.
A popular dish is farofa, an addition to meat made from cassava flour fried with bacon. In Rio, you can easily find an African eatery, and next to it, you can smell Italian pizza. Real cultural mix. Many of the region's dishes are based on a pasta made from beans and cassava flour, sausages similar to Spanish chorizo and cassava fried with butter and lard are popular here.
South
The cuisine of the southern part of Brazil is that of the local gauchos, and is cowboy-style "not too subtle in terms." Cured meat reigns here. The types of meat used in the region are diverse, but beef, lamb, and chicken predominate. The meat is very tasty, because its quality is influenced by the way cattle are raised - in the fresh air and in natural conditions. The shepherd's grill ritual, a kind of Brazilian barbecue, is popular here.