Farofa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Farofa is a dish of wildly varying flavors consumed in South America, most especially in Brazil. It can be found commercially produced and packaged in most South American markets but is often prepared at home based on family recipes. The key ingredient of all Farofas is either toasted manioc (also known as mandioca, macaxeira, macaxera, cassava, yucca, or tapioca) flour or maize flour (farinha de milho) . Most recipes will also contain varying amounts of salt, smoked meat, and spices. The consistency of the mixture also ranges from large grains the size of cracked bulgur wheat or couscous, down to a table-salt-sized powder. Most farofas have a very smoky and slightly salty taste, by and large used to accentuate the taste of meat, particularly barbecued meat, and the hearty stews.
In Brazil, where farofa is particularly popular, typical recipes call for raw manioc flour to be toasted with butter, salt, and bacon, until golden brown. Also in Brazil, farofa is also used to stuff poultry and other dishes, usually containing raisin, nuts and/or finely chopped sweet fruit like apple and banana. Brazilians will also use the word farofa to mean Streusel.
Farofa is served alongside the main course and can either be sprinkled on by individual diners to their taste before eating, or eaten as an accompaniment in its own right, as rice is often consumed.
