Pato no tucupi is a specialty dish from Belem, consisting of duck stewed with tomatoes and onions. The duck is then roasted and stewed with tucupi (yellow juice extracted from cassava) and jambú (a leafy plant with anesthetic properties).
The dish is typically served with rice on the side. It is traditionally prepared and consumed once a year, during the Círio de Nazaré festivities.
MOST ICONIC Pato no tucupi
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Mocotó is a popular Brazilian stew made from cow's feet, beans, and various vegetables. The name of the dish stems from the Kimbundu word mbokotó. Nutritious and inexpensive, the stew was originally made by slaves who used cuts of meat that were thrown away by the landowners.
Mocotó is especially popular in the southern and northeastern parts of Brazil. Although Brazil's main weather-related problem is how to cool off, mocotó is a perfect winter stew that warms one up, since it is a part of Portuguese culinary heritage, and the mountainous parts of Portugal can be notoriously cold.
MOST ICONIC Mocotó
Quibebe is a hearty and Brazilian soup or stew made from winter squash and onions. It has a very thick texture and is traditionally served before a larger entrée or the main meal. The dish is somewhat similar to curry due to the usage of chili paste, ground ginger, and coconut milk.
It is recommended to garnish quibebe with fresh parsley.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Caruru is a Brazilian dish consisting of okra, dried shrimps, onions, and toasted nuts cooked in dendê palm oil. In the Bahia region, caruru is traditionally consumed as a condiment alongside acarajé, a type of street food consisting of fried black-eyed peas.
Although the dish has African origins, it is considered to be a Brazilian dish which was exported out of Africa by the slaves who worked on sugar plantations in Brazil. Caruru is a staple of Afro-Brazilian religious ceremonies, where it's known under the name amalá, and it is a favorite of Xango, the Yoruba African god of fire.
MOST ICONIC Caruru
Galinhada is a Brazilian stew made with rice and chicken. It is a popular dish throughout Brazil, especially in the states of Goiás and Minas Gerais, during special occasions and festivities. The name of the dish is derived from the Portuguese word galinha, meaning chicken.
Although it can be found in numerous restaurants and eateries, it is also widely prepared at home, and almost every family has a secret recipe that is handed down from generation to generation. It is recommended to serve the dish with hot sauce and garnish it with finely diced green onions.
MOST ICONIC Galinhada
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Barreado is a Brazilian Carnival staple dish originating from the state of Paraná. This hearty stew is made with beef (usually second-grade cuts of tougher meat with lots of fat), onions, tomatoes, beef bouillon, cumin, bay leaves, and fried bacon.
The ingredients are placed in a clay pot, and then water is added until all the ingredients are covered. The clay pot is traditionally sealed with a ring of dough made from manioc flour and wheat flour. Once prepared, the stew is left to simmer over a low flame anywhere from 12 to 48 hours, resulting in extremely tender meat that falls apart.
MOST ICONIC Barreado
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