National dishes of Brazil. Traditional and main dishes of Brazil

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

It is impossible to know the culture of a country without getting acquainted with its cuisine. The national dishes of Brazil are part of the original culture, which largely characterizes the mentality of the locals, their traditions and habits, way of life.

Traditional cuisine of Brazil, its formation

Brazil is the largest country in South America. Due to its location in the heart of the mainland, the traditional cuisine of Brazil has been shaped by the incendiary and savory combination of several cultures. Here you can feel the Portuguese character, African traditions and, of course, the colorful Latin American culture. In fact, the main dishes of Brazil are a harmonious combination of three cuisines - Portuguese, African and Indian.

Perhaps that is why Brazilian cuisine is considered the most exquisite and unusual in all of South America. However, it is quite difficult to draw a more or less clear and distinct picture of Brazilian cuisine - each region of this countryhas its own characteristics, which are due to history and geographical location.

Features of traditional Brazilian cuisine

The rich natural heritage has predetermined the characteristics of traditional Brazilian cuisine. Climatic features and a favorable geographical position contributed to such a variety of dishes on the menu of local residents.

Brazilians eat a lot of meat - pork, duck, chicken and chickens, as well as beef. A wide selection of seafood dishes is a common sight on the festive tables of local residents, as well as an integral part of the menu of Brazilian restaurants. Vegetables, fruits and cereals - these components are always present in the diet of the inhabitants of sunny Brazil.

Any dish or snack is served with a lot of spices and seasonings. It can be chili, onion, coriander, regular black pepper and more. In addition, the traditional cuisine of Brazil is distinguished by a wide variety of sauces and dressings, which are very often served at the table.

Brazilian cuisine - traditional dishes

Of all the variety of Latin American cuisine, it is quite difficult to determine what the national dishes of Brazil are. In addition, each region has its own culinary characteristics and preferences. However, in general terms, the gastronomic tastes of Brazilians can still be described.

• From snacks, Brazilians prefer boiled corn and stuffed olives, all kinds of vegetable salads and canapes, pies stuffed with various fillings, andalso fried meatballs with cheese or cod.
• As for meat, chicken legs are very popular all over the country, often they cook fried pork - “lombo de porco”. Small pieces of beef, which are fried on a metal rod, deserve special attention. This dish is called "shurasko", it is served with slices of tomatoes or sauce.
• Among the wide variety of seafood dishes, itapoa, a delicious crayfish and crab meat pudding, is especially popular. Very often, Brazilians prepare a dish called frigideira, which is fish and shellfish fried in dough, which are brought to readiness in a clay pot. Often on the tables you can also find a rather thick seafood soup, which includes dried shrimp and garlic.
• Among the desserts, it is worth highlighting the following dishes in the first place: “bombom de noses” (with walnuts), “kuindim” (with coconut), as well as “bem-casados” and much more.

Traditional Brazilian cuisine, popular dishes

However, no matter how diverse the cuisine of this country is, the national dishes of Brazil are a real gastronomic journey, which is distinguished by its exquisite taste and refined aroma. Agree, it is impossible to imagine a country or a state without a capital or main city. In the same way, one cannot imagine the national cuisine of a state without a signature dish, which can be tasted in almost any self-respectingrestaurant or cafe.

So, the traditional dish of Brazil is feijoada, the amazing taste of which was mentioned by the Brazilian poet Vinicius de Morais. The basis of this dish is beans, which are cooked together with small pieces of meat. It is important that the meat is of different types. All kinds of spices, spices and cassava flour are added to this mixture. Feijoada is served with orange slices or cabbage leaves, sometimes with rice.

Feijoada, Brazil's national dish, is always served with a caipirinha. This is a kind of cocktail, which is prepared on the basis of vodka with the addition of cane sugar and lemon.

The history of the origin of the traditional dish of Brazil

Every thing in the world has its own history. The traditional dish of Brazil - feijoada - was invented a long time ago, about 300 years ago. It was prepared by the slaves. From pieces of pork that they got from the master's table, and black beans, which were most often fed to livestock, the workers prepared their own food. In fact, this dish has African roots.

However, time passed, and with its passage, everything underwent some changes. They also touched on the traditional dish of Brazil. Somewhat later, the Portuguese began to add sausage and sausages to the mixture of beans and pieces of pork. Later, the Indians made their own adjustments and added farofa to feijoada, which is a mixture of butter and cassava flour.

Be that as it may, feijoada is cooked throughout Brazil. The point is that inIn each region, the national dish of Brazil, whose recipes are rooted in the distant past, is prepared differently. The main differences are the different types of beans and some changes in ingredients, depending on the region and its gastronomic characteristics.

Festive and everyday table for Brazilians

In everyday life, legumes, rice, cassava flour, poultry, pork and, of course, seafood dishes are often found on the tables of the indigenous population of sunny Brazil. Very often, Brazilian families serve vegetables and fruits for lunch or dinner.

What about breakfast in this country? It is not much different from the usual European. The traditional set is the famous Brazilian coffee with cream, cheese, bread and butter.

But the festive table of the Brazilians is much more varied and richer. A popular dish in Brazil is beef slices fried on a metal rod, served with sauce or tomato slices. All kinds of soups from seafood, thick and fragrant, various types of salads and a large number of appetizers, most of which are made by stuffing - this and much more can be found on the tables of Brazilians during traditional holidays.

Traditional drinks of Brazil

Speaking of this country, one cannot fail to mention the well-known Brazilian coffee, which differs in its taste from similar drinks. The locals, oddly enough, drink a little coffee, in small portions, which are called demitasses (from the size of the cup). But coffeepause is a common occurrence in the Brazilian population.

The coffee industry is booming in this country. There are several dozen types of coffee. In addition, various cocktails and drinks are prepared on its basis.

The selection of alcoholic drinks is not that great. The most popular is the caipirinha, which is a cocktail of vodka, cane sugar and lemon. This drink is usually served with a traditional dish.

National dishes of Brazil

What's left to say in the end? The cuisine of any country is an integral part of the culture of the whole people, which has been formed over the years under the influence of historical events and various peoples.

Brazilian cuisine is a burning mixture of Portuguese, African and Indian culture, a combination of spicy Latin American flavor, extraordinary traditions, and just one of the most delicious cuisines that deserves special attention.