A creamy, fragrant seafood stew made with fish or shrimp, coconut milk, dendê oil, bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, and fresh cilantro. Slow-cooked and served bubbling hot with rice and pirão (manioc gravy). 1)
A black-eyed pea fritter fried in dendê oil, split open and filled with vatapá (a spicy paste made from bread, peanuts, shrimp, and coconut milk) and dried or sautéed shrimp. A sacred food in Candomblé and an iconic Bahian street snack. 2)
A cousin of acarajé, but steamed instead of fried, wrapped in banana leaves. Made with black-eyed peas, dendê oil, and ground shrimp, often served with vatapá or caruru. Earthy, soft, and rich. 3)
A thick, spicy stew made with okra, dried shrimp, peanuts, and dendê oil. It’s traditionally served during religious festivals like Cosme e Damião, often alongside acarajé or abará. 4)
A delicious Afro-Brazilian chicken stew with ground peanuts, cashews, dried shrimp, coconut milk, and dendê oil. Served with rice and pirão. An explosion of complex, creamy, umami flavors. 5)
A dish of stewed leafy greens, usually made with caruru leaves or spinach, cooked with garlic, onion, dendê oil, and dried shrimp. A flavorful vegetable side with deep African roots. 6)
A rural Bahian comfort dish: black-eyed peas cooked in coconut milk, with touches of sugar, cloves, and cinnamon. Can be sweet or savory depending on the region — creamy, fragrant, and comforting. 7)
A luscious mash of cassava (aipim) blended with coconut milk and dendê oil, combined with seasoned shrimp. Creamy, rich, and tropical — a party dish with a velvety texture. 8)
A dish influenced by the Hausa people of West Africa: rice cooked with coconut milk, topped with dried beef (carne-de-sol) and onion sauce. Often served with fried bananas. A blend of sweet, savory, and salty. 9)
A savory version of corn porridge (usually sweet in other regions), made with white corn kernels, coconut milk, spices, and salted meats. Hearty and uniquely Bahian. 10)
A dish of pork offal (liver, lungs, heart) and blood, cooked with vinegar, garlic, chili, and herbs. Spicy, strong, and typically served with rice or pirão. A rustic delicacy for the brave-hearted! 11)
Chicken gizzards braised in dendê oil, garlic, and tomatoes, paired with banana farofa (toasted manioc flour with sweet banana chunks). The mix of textures and flavors is unexpectedly delicious. 12)
Known as the “feijoada of the forest,” this is a green stew made from manioc leaves cooked for days, mixed with pork parts and sausages. Slightly bitter, earthy, and deeply tied to Candomblé traditions. 13)
Spiced crab meat (siri) sautéed with onions, peppers, breadcrumbs, coconut milk, and dendê oil, served in the crab shell and baked. Rich and festive — often a starter at beachside meals. 14)
Whole grilled fish (like robalo or badejo), marinated with lime, garlic, and herbs, served with a warm farofa toasted in dendê oil, with onion and sometimes shrimp. Simple, elegant, and vibrant. 15)