Amazonian cuisine facts for kids

Amazonian cuisine is all about the yummy foods and cooking styles from the different groups of people living in the amazing Amazon rainforest in South America. These dishes have become popular with their neighbors too!

Foods from Brazil's Amazon

In the Brazilian Amazon, you'll find unique dishes. One popular meal is Maniçoba. It's made with meat, sausage, and a root called manioc, along with special leaves.

The Amazon is full of freshwater fish. Big ones like the pirarucu are eaten. It's the world's largest freshwater fish! Other popular fish include tambaqui, surubim, and tucunaré. People often grill or fry these fish.

Sometimes, fish dishes are served in a tomato sauce. This style is called escabeche. You can also find fish cooked in coconut milk or in a special sauce called tucupi. Tucupi is made from fermented manioc juice.

Other famous dishes include Tacacá, which is a tasty shrimp soup. Vatapá is a seafood dish from the Bahia region of Brazil.

Staple Foods and Fruits

A main food in Amazonian cooking is manioc. This starchy root vegetable is used in many ways.

The region also has many delicious fruits. People make juices and ice creams from them. Some popular fruits are acerola, graviola, fruta de conde (also known as sugar-apple), and cupuaçu.

Açaí is a berry that has become very famous worldwide. There are also juices from palm trees like taperebá, buriti, and bacuri.

You might also know Brazil nuts, which are very popular. Guarana is another well-known plant. It's often used in popular energy drinks today.

Dishes from Peru's Amazon

Juane: A Special Dish

Juane is one of the most popular dishes from the Peruvian jungle. People eat it a lot during the Catholic Feast of San Juan. This celebration happens every year on June 24th. The dish was named to honor San Juan Bautista, also known as Saint John the Baptist.

This dish might have started a very long time ago, even before the Spanish arrived. When the Spanish came, missionaries shared the Bible story of Salome, John, and Herodias. Some people think the dish's name comes from the idea of San Juan's head.

Tacacho: A Plantain Favorite

Another popular Peruvian jungle dish is tacacho. It's made from fried slices of plantain that are mashed. These are mixed with chicharones, which are pieces of fried pork fat. Tacacho is usually served with chorizo, a fried sausage.

This dish is very common in Iquitos and other parts of the Peruvian Amazon. It's also eaten across the rest of the country. The word tacacho comes from the Quechua language. It means "beaten."

How people eat tacacho can change depending on the region. In Madre de Dios and San Martín, many people enjoy tacacho for breakfast. In other areas, it's a dish for lunch or dinner. In the San Martín region, tacacho is even part of the Christmas dinner!

In the Amazon region of Ecuador, a similar dish is called bolon. There's also a dish like it in the Caribbean islands called mofongo.

Peruvian chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffano has worked hard to show off Amazonian food and ingredients in his restaurant.