Our writer picks out 10 must-try dishes Travellers are advised to read the FCO travel advice at gov. Brazil really does have it all. We've picked 10 essential Brazilian dishes to try on your visit. 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. 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 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. 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. Try making your own Bahia-style Moqueca prawn stew.
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.
The dish originated in Bahia, in Brazil's north-east, where flavours have strong roots in African cooking. Acaraje-black eyed pea fritters with shrimp filling. Another favourite from Bahia, quindim is a glossy yellow sweet treat made with nothing more than eggs, sugar and coconut with butter a common addition. Baked in cupcake-sized moulds, the bottom is toasted and golden, dense with grated coconut, while the top is a smooth, firm custard that sticks pleasingly to the roof of the mouth.
Traditionally eaten by indigenous tribes as a source of energy, the hard purple berry is also used in Amazonian cooking as a sauce to accompany fish. One of the few dishes eaten the length and breadth of Brazil, feijoada is a hearty stew of black beans, sausages and cuts of pork of varying quality — traditionally veering towards the lower end, with trotters and ears all going into the mix.
