Samba in slurps!
Indian chefs explain why Brazilian food — a mix of several cultures — is such a popular choice among the foodies of the world
As we count the days to the Olympics, the excitement has been growing globally on what to expect from Rio — where to eat, what to drink and what to do. Rio de Janerio, as chefs and foodies know it, is a melting pot of different cuisines — European, African, Portuguese, Latin American and much more. Eat your way to churrascos ( barbequed beef), coxinhas ( chicken croquettes) or sip on some fine Brazilian coffee. And in case you’re one among the many of us, who is going to be watching the Olympics right from your TV sets at home — DC has brought you some easy- to- make Brazilian recipes that will transport you to this exotic land. Here’s our simplified guide to the best of Rio de Janerio cuisine…
“BRAZIL IS the largest producer of coffee in the world and due to the amount of land that the country has dedicated to coffee alone, the production of coffee happens on an extremely large scale. Unlike in India, where coffee is grown in the shade, the coffee in Brazil grows in large open lands — where the coffee plants are grown to the extent of huge trees. Hence many countries use Brazilian coffee as the base to the coffee they sell. It is usually not very intense in flavour as the coffee we grow in India but definitely the beans have a heavier body, and slightly peanutty quality. The cafes in Brazil usually have much richer tasting coffee as against what they export.”
“CUISINE IN RIO has influences from European, African, Latin American, Portuguese cultures. It is also evolving constantly. Nearly every home can be seen using rice, beans, chili sauce, Brazilian arrow root ( tapioca) and lots of churrasco meat cuts — which is a thin cut of beef, unlike a filet, and is usually barbecued. Cafes can be seen selling the world famous Brazilian coffee, and cheese buns. The use of many of these ingredients comes from the history — like tapioca — which was introduced at a time when Brazil had no potatoes. Today, it’s a significant part of their culture.”