Travellers are advised to read the FCO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice for the country they are travelling to.
Brazil really does have it all. Larger cities like São Paulo
and Rio de Janeiro boast unique culture, personality and nightlife, and
the thousands of miles of coastline, epic countryside and hearty cuisine
will have you in raptures. We’ve picked 10 essential Brazilian dishes
to try on your visit.
Check out even more delicious destinations in our travel hub and discover our top 10 travel destinations for 2019.
Don’t leave Brazil without trying…
1. Barbecued meat
Brazil and Argentina both claim to be South America’s
barbecue
champion. And while each country takes a different approach to its
meat, from the cuts to the accompaniments, some things remain the same –
namely, the ogre-sized quantities of meat, best appreciated at a
leisurely pace and with an elasticated waistband.
In Brazil, premium cuts (the most popular being picanha, or rump cap)
are seasoned with no more than a liberal shake of coarse salt, before
being grilled to pink perfection over charcoal (or wood, if you’re doing
it the old-fashioned Southern way). Home barbecues will see sausages,
queijo coalho (squeaky cheese on a stick) and chicken hearts sharing
space on the grill, while in churrascarias (barbecue-style steakhouses),
all manner of meats on skewers – from pork to lamb and wild boar – will
be sliced by waiters straight onto your plate.
Try it yourself… Frango churrasco (grilled lemon & garlic chicken)
Cumin & onion marinated beef
Oregano cheese skewers
Creamy Aji green sauce
Chimichurri sauce
2. Moqueca (pronounced moo-kek-a)
More
than a mere fish stew, moqueca is served with theatrical flourish as
the piping hot clay pot is uncovered at the table amid clouds of
fragrant steam. Baianos (residents of Bahia, in the north-east of the
country) and Capixabas (from the neighbouring state of Espírito Santo)
both lay claim to the origins of the dish, and both serve up equally
tasty variations. At its simplest, fish and/or other seafood are stewed
in diced tomatoes, onions and coriander. The Capixabas add annatto seeds
for a natural red food colouring, while the Baianos serve a heavier
version, made with palm oil, peppers and coconut milk. It’s teamed with
rice, farofa (toasted manioc flour – ideal for mopping up juices) and
pirão (a spicy fish porridge made with manioc flour – far tastier than
it sounds).
Try making your own… Bahia-style Moqueca prawn stew
3. Cachaça
Dating
back to the 1500s, cachaça is made from fermented sugarcane juice and
is best known as the fiery kick in caipirinhas – Brazil’s national
cocktail. While caipirinhas are often made with uncoloured, unaged
cachaças, there are thousands of better-quality golden varieties
available, aged in wooden barrels and sipped straight up by aficionados.
For the morning after, clear your head with a Guaraná Antarctica (a
sweet, fizzy soft drink), an água de coco (coconut water, best sipped
straight from the coconut) or caldo de cana (freshly pressed sugarcane
juice).
Try making your own… Caipirinhas with pineapple
4. Brigadeiros
Brazil’s answer to the
chocolate truffle,
brigadeiros are so simple to make that they quite literally get rolled
out for kids’ parties nationwide. The sweet balls are made by simmering
condensed milk with cocoa powder, then whisking in butter and shaping
the mix into balls before rolling in chocolate sprinkles. Guaranteed to
give an instant sugar high, they’re cloyingly sweet for some palates.
Brazilians won’t hear a word against them, though.
Try making your own… Brigadieros
5. Pão de queijo
Cheese
and bread – two staple favourites the world over – are brought together
in glorious union in Brazil’s pão de queijo, a moreish snack enjoyed at
any time of day. Crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the
inside, the gluten-free bread rolls are made with tapioca flour, eggs
and grated curado minas cheese (a cow’s milk cheese from the state of
Minas Gerais), rolled into small balls. For a naughty twist, keep an eye
out for pão de queijo served in fist-sized rolls (or even a cake-sized
bake), stuffed with cream cheese or various meaty fillings.
Try making your own… Pão de queijo
read it here : https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/top-10-foods-try-brazil
