978-1-4222-3341-2

turtles, turtle eggs, lizards, termites, and other insects. Roasting cacao seeds and using them to flavor water are also common native cooking techniques. For many Amazonians, cassava, meat, and fish are dietary staples. The northern part of Brazil is still heavily influenced by native dishes, includ- ing caruru do pará , a meal of dried shrimp, okra, onion, tomato, cilantro, and dende oil. Cooks use cassava flour, or farinha, in many recipes, including pirao , a gelatin-like food made of fish or meat stock. Cooks also roast farinha on the stove, scooping heaps of butter to make a dish called farofa that they serve with sautéed onions, raisins, or with a scrambled egg. FAVORITES FROM THE AMAZON Two much-loved dishes from the Amazon are made from two of its staples, fish and cassava. Fish Balls: Usually made from salted piraucu , an Amazon fish, these tidbits are seasoned with onions, cherry peppers, banana peppers, and cilantro. Chefs usually serve the fish balls with pepper sauce and lime slices. Manicoba : Those living in the Amazon love this tasty dish that uses the leaves of the cassava plant and bit of a pig’s stomach. The leaves however have to cook for seven days because they contain cyanic acid, which is poisonous. Moqueca de Camarao, a Bahian seafood stew made with prawns in coconut milk and dende oil.

Generations of indigenous people, especially in southern Brazil, still rely on ants as an important part of their diet. The insects are high in protein and are a

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CHAPTER THREE: FOOD AND DRINK