Brazilian Food Recipes Brazil is a fascinating country with a culture influenced by the various communities that have settled there. Brazilian food recipes reflect that diversity with national favorites and regional variations. Traditions have been handed down from the indigenous people, the Portuguese and other immigrants. Tourists enjoy browsing the food stores and sampling locally produced dishes in intimate restaurants. The national dish is a simple stew made from black beans, dried beef, and pork called Feijoada. It is usually served with rice. A typical set lunch is Prato Feito, which is rice, a steak and brown beans with vegetables. Chicken or fish is sometimes used instead of beef steak. For a quick snack, Brazilians like to eat sandwiches, known as Lanches. There are lots of recipes for Brazilian food to make pastries and small pies, called Empada. Coxinha is also popular; this is chicken deep fried in batter. Pastels are tasty fried turnovers. Misto Quentes are toasted cheese and ham sandwiches. The coastline of the country is the best place to take advantage of the seafood available. Brazilian food recipes often call for shrimps, mackerel, dried and salted cod, grouper, and red snapper. As for regional cuisine, the Churrasco or barbecue is very popular in the south with lots of different kinds of meat. The North Eastern area of Bahia has West African cooking as its inspiration and favors palm oil, seafood and coconut. The locals here are fond of a dish called Moqueca, which is a seafood stew with tomatoes and cooked in a clay pot. The Amazon region is known for its fish, vegetables and a wide variety of tropical fruits. One of the most popular Brazilian food recipes in Praia do Futuro in Fortaleza, is fried fish and local crabs. Brazilians have a sweet tooth too and desserts are very tasty. Fried bananas is a common ingredient in savory dishes and in puddings. Banana Pie is popular and bananas fried in margarine or butter, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. Other puddings include Orange Flan with Caramel Sauce, Passion Fruit Mousse and an unconventional Tapioca Pudding with red wine. Breakfast in Brazil is usually very simple; perhaps a cup of coffee with some bread or jam. A more substantial breakfast would involve cheese and ham. Portions of fresh fruit, such as mangoes, papaya or watermelon are also consumed. Street markets are colorful and noisy and a great place to buy fresh ingredients for a Brazilian dish. Fruit is an important part of the Brazilian diet and the market stalls offer almost every variety, including kiwis, pineapples, lychees, limes and persimmons. Fruit juice and fruit teas are abundant and there are food stands that sell sugarcane juice and coconut water. In common with other countries, fast food is also widely available with hot dogs, hamburgers and pizza being the favorites. There are also restaurants with foreign cuisine, such as Lebanese. Japanese restaurants are popular in Sao Paulo, where they offer tempura, sashimi, and sushi. Both foreign and Brazilian food recipes are accompanied by locally produced beer and wine. Summary Brazilian food recipes typically include some sort of seafood, Feijoada which is a stew made from black beans beef and pork, fried bananas, orange flan, Moqueca made with seafood and tomatoes, and Praia do Futuro which is fried fish and crab. Street vendors offer fresh produce at great prices. Related Articles Jamaican Cuisine Norweigan Cuisine Spanish Food Italian Food Japanese Food Related Sites