Savor the exotic and delicious cuisine of the North, an experience that will take you to the origins of the indigenous people.
With a strong Indian influence, the cuisine of Northern Brazil uses a lot of fish and game meat typical of the Amazon. Known all over the country, it has incorporated elements of the gastronomy of Portuguese settlers and other peoples, such as Lebanese, Italian and Japanese.
Here are some of the most typical dishes served in the region and appreciated all over Brazil:
1 - Duck in “tucupi”
Ingredients
- 1 duck (1 kg), new and clean
- 4 kneaded garlic cloves
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste;
- 4 spoons (tablespoons) of olive oil;
- 4 cups tucupi (broth extracted from the “brava” manioc)
- Cress leaves, chicory and “alfavaca”
Method of preparation
On the eve, cut the duck into pieces, put in a bowl and season with the crushed garlic, salt and pepper to taste and olive oil. The next day, heat the oven to medium (180° C), put the seasoned duck pieces in a refractory and bake for 40 minutes or until it gets golden brown. Take it out of the oven.
In a large pot, place the pieces of the duck, drizzle with the “tucupi,” add the leaves of watercress, “alfavaca” and chicory. Bring everything to a low heat and cook for 30 minutes or until the meat is tender. Take it out of the oven.
Place the pieces of duck on a large platter and drizzle with the sauce and the leaves. Serve with rice, cassava flour and pepper.
2 - “Tacacá”
Ingredients
- 2 liters of “tucupi”
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 spoon (teaspoon) of salt
- 4 chili peppers
- 2 bundles of jambu
- 1/2 kg of salted shrimp (dry)
- 1/2 cup “cassava” manioc
- Chili peppers
Method of preparation
Put the “tucupi” in a pan, season with garlic, salt and pepper. Take it to fire and let it bring to the boil. Next, lower the heat, cover the pan and cook for 30 minutes. Cook the “jambu” in hot water and let the stalks become soft, remove and drain. Reserve it.
Remove the head from the shrimp and soak in a bowl of water to remove the salt. Boil 4 cups (tea) water with salt to taste, dissolve the gum in a bowl with cold water. Add gradually into the boiling water, until you get a thick porridge, or, to the point of your preference.
Serve in a bowl in this sequence: two tablespoons of “tucupi,” a gum conch, a “tucupi” shell, a few leaves of “jambu” and 5 shrimps, salt and pepper to taste.
3 - “Maniçoba”
Ingredients
- 3 kg of milled manioc (“brava” manioc)
- 1/2 kg of lard
- 1/2 kg of jerky (dried meat)
- 1/2 kg of Portuguese sausage
- 1/2 kg of “paio”
- 1/2 kg of pork loin
- 1/2 kg of pork ear
- 1/2 kg of pork tail
- Minced garlic to taste
- Smelling pepper to taste;
Method of preparation
On day 1, place the leaf of the ground manioc in a large pot with plenty of water. Let it simmer throughout the day, without letting it dry. The next day, put the bacon and bring to the boil.
On the 3rd day, scald all the meats and place in the saucepan to boil. Stir it once in a while.
The next day, add the garlic and the pepper, boil for another 6 hours, stirring occasionally.
Serve with white and raw manioc flour.
4 - “Pirarucu de casaca”
Ingredients
- 500g of dried “pirarucu”
- 2 sliced and fried “pacovão” bananas
- 500g of “Uarini” flour, well toasted
- 1 box of raisins with seed kernel
- 100g of black plums
- 2 baked eggs
- 100g of olive
- Tomato, peppers, chives, coriander, oil and olive oil, to taste
Method of preparation
Put the “pirarucu” sauce in plenty of water, in advance. The next day, wash and scald briefly. Bake on the grill (or in the oven if you prefer), let it cool and open thinly.
Make the toasted manioc flour with the plums, raisins and flour, using a little olive oil in the mixture. Do not take it to fire. Sauté the vegetables in the oil, starting with the onion.
Place in layers on a refractory plate: toasted manioc flour, “pirarucu” and fried banana. Garnish with boiled eggs and olives and bake gently to blush.