The typical dishes of Brazil are a mixture of European, indigenous and African cultures. The meals are rich, tasty and with different preparation methods and ingredients. The preparation follows traditions, passed down through generations.

Here we list 7 well-known, diverse and favorite dishes from Brazilian cuisine. Feijoada is a typical dish from Rio de Janeiro and one of the most well-known and popular in our country and abroad. Feijoada consists of a mixture of cooked black beans, with less noble parts of the pig, such as ears, tail, as well as sausage and dried meat and is accompanied by cabbage and rice.

Although feijoada is considered a food that arose from African slaves, historians say that this form of cooking, mixing various types of meat, vegetables and greens, is something that has been done for millennia. Black beans originate from South America, cassava flour also originates from our continent.

Shrimp bean ball

Acarajé is typical of Bahia, being made by Bahian women in their stalls spread across the streets of Bahia. This food is of African origin and consists of a black-eyed pea dumpling, fried in palm oil and stuffed with vatapá, dried shrimp, vinaigrette and pepper. If they ask you if you would like the acarajé hot or cold, remember that “hot” in Bahia means spicy.

There are several types of acarajé recipes that will please all types of tastes: the complete acarajé made with vatapá, vinaigrette and caruru; there is acarajé made with coriander; the blender acarajé with blended ingredients; and even vegan acarajé without any meat or derivatives.

Cheese bread

When talking about typical Brazilian dishes, cheese bread cannot be left out. Each person has their own way of doing it, but the result is always the same.

Cheese bread is another adaptation due to a lack of ingredients. To make cheese bread, you need to have good ingredients on hand. Industrialized tapioca starch spoils the texture, so the homemade version is better, along with free-range eggs and a salty, firm cheese to be grated.

Duck at Tucupi

It is a typical Pará dish of indigenous origin, in which they used tucupi to prepare wild ducks, roasting them on stones. The consumption of duck meat was constant during the colonial period. Tucupi is a yellow substance extracted from the root of wild cassava. It is poisonous, but stops being so when it is boiled slowly for many hours so that it loses all its hydrocyanic acid.

To prepare the duck in tucupi, use: 1 large duck, 2 and a half liters of tucupi, bunches of jambú, chicory, scented pepper, onion, tomato, garlic, basil leaves, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, green scent and salt.

Açaí

Açaí is a fruit that comes from the açaí tree, which is a palm tree from the Amazon region. Nowadays, it is very easy to find açaí stands on beaches or other cold desserts. It can be mixed with guarana, banana or strawberry, even mixed with granola, ice cream sauce, sprinkles, jelly beans, etc.

But originally, it was used to accompany meals with fried fish and shrimp, mixed with cassava flour. It is great for your health, as it contains vitamins, iron, calcium, phosphorus, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory stimulants, etc.

Açaí prevents aging, strengthens the immune system, improves the cardiovascular system, improves bowel function, provides energy and fights anemia.

Rice with pequi

Pequi is a fruit found in the cerrado with a strong and different taste. The pequi tree is protected by law, and its cutting and sale are prohibited throughout the national territory.

It is possible to use almost everything from the pequi, except the thorns, the bark can be a brownish color, the root is used to kill fish, the ashes are used to make homemade soaps, the leaves contain tannin used by weavers. What is consumed from pequi are its seeds, which can be turned into pulp for sweets and liqueurs.

It is used in different traditional recipes from the Midwest region and one of them is the famous rice with pequi. The dish consists of normal rice, cooked together with pequi. The rice turns yellow in color, with a characteristic flavor and smell.

Brigadier

Brigadeiro is Brazil's almost unanimous dessert. It is present in all regions of our country, whether on children's birthdays or even at weddings.

It is a typically Brazilian sweet from São Paulo, invented in our country, without external interference. It is a mixture of condensed milk, butter, cocoa powder and chocolate sprinkles for the topping. There's a brigadeiro made from: Sicilian lemon, cachaça and raisins, Brazil nuts, fried, banana with hazelnuts, etc.