A Taste of Brazil

All materials courtesy of: Brazilian Tourism

FAMILY FEATURES®

Untamed. Exotic. Vibrant.

These are just a few of the words used to describe Brazil. From
its lush Amazon rainforest to its thriving cities, Brazil is a
country teeming with life. And well worth a visit.

Brazil is the largest country in South America – and is roughly the size
of the continental United States. While the language spoken there
is Portuguese, its rich culture has been influenced by Portugal,
Africa, Europe, East Asia and its own indigenous Indian people.

The country has five basic regions, each with its own distinct geographic
and cultural variations. The Northeast has the greatest percentage
of people of African descent. The South and Southeast are home
to the majority of Brazilians of European and Japanese ancestry,
while indigenous peoples live mostly in the North and Central-West.But
no matter where you go in Brazil – the sun-washed coasts, tropical
rainforests, bustling cities or wide open plains – you’ll find
fabulous food.

With so many cultural influences, Brazilian cuisine ranges from the simple
to the sophisticated, and blends flavors from all over.

Feijoada is considered Brazil’s national dish. It’s a stew with black beans
and smoked and sun-dried meats, especially pork and smoked sausages.
It’s served with traditional side dishes such as orange slices,
shredded kale, rice, cassava meal browned in butter, and a hot
pepper and lemon sauce.

If you can’t make it to Brazil this year, you can bring a taste of Brazil home
any time. Here are some typical Brazilian ingredients you can
use to liven up your meals:

Meats:
Brazilian sausages, different cuts of beef, pork tenderloin, chicken
thighs and drumsticks. Brazilian sausage may be hard to find,
so you can use chorizo or other spicy pork sausages.

Tropical Fruits: avocado, banana, coconut, guava, lime, passion fruit,
pineapple

Seasonings: chili pepper, cilantro, palm oil, sweat pepper

Sides: beans, cassava fresh fruits, rice

For your next party, start off with cod fritters as appetizers,
then serve up some King Prawn and Coconut Stew over rice. Finish
things off with fried bananas with cinnamon sugar or a cachaca
and lime parfait. You and your guests will feel like you’ve truly
had a taste of Brazil.

To learn more about Brazil and how to get there, visit www.braziltourism.org.

King Prawn & Coconut Stew

Serves
6

This
dish is a mixture of indigenous Indian, African and Portuguese,
which makes it a fantastic illustration of the melting pot that
is Brazilian cuisine. Originally it would have been cooked in
banana leaves over hot coals

Note: Dende oil originated in Africa and is made from palm. It
is a vibrant orange-gold color and has a slightly nutty flavor.
Peanut oil or walnut oil may be substituted.

Place the onion, chilies, tomatoes, garlic, cilantro and lime
juice in food processor with a generous pinch of sea salt. Puree
then pour into a non-metallic bowl and add prawns. Leave to marinate
for 10 minutes.

Heat a wok or heavy-based deep casserole dish. Remove prawns from marinade
and keep to one side.

Add olive oil to the pan and then add marinade. Cook over high heat for
2 minutes before adding coconut cream. Bring to boil, then turn
down to a simmer for 2 more minutes, when sauce should be well
combined and slightly reduced.

Throw in prawns and cook for 2 minutes, or until just cooked through.
Check seasoning before removing from heat. To serve, pour dende
oil over all and sprinkle with cilantro sprigs. Serve with bowls
of steamed rice.

Cachaca & Lime Parfait

Serves 8 to 10

Cachaca – pronounced ka-sha-sa – is a kind of rum made from sugar
cane. It is sold in the United States as Brazilian Rum.

Note: If you can’t find un-waxed limes, scrub limes thoroughly
before zesting.

11 tablespoons sugar

3 un-waxed limes