Tacacá (Tacacá)
Overview
Tacacá is a hot soup from the Amazon region of Brazil, especially the state of Pará. Its yellow broth is tucupi, a tangy liquid extracted from wild cassava and boiled for many hours. It is thickened with a little tapioca starch to create a slightly gummy texture, then served with dried shrimp and leaves of jambu, a herb that makes the lips and tongue tingle and go slightly numb. Tacacá is sold by street vendors in the late afternoon and is traditionally served in a cuia, a bowl made from a gourd.
Pictures
History
Tacacá has roots in the cooking of the Indigenous peoples of the Amazon, who processed cassava into many foods, including tucupi. It is a central part of the street food culture of Belém and other Amazonian cities. Its unique ingredients make it a dish visitors are encouraged to try. Vendors often have loyal customers who return every afternoon, and the dish is also served during local festivals.
Main ingredients
Tucupi, jambu leaves, dried shrimp, tapioca starch, garlic, chilli. The soup is built on tucupi broth and is usually served hot. Diet: pescatarian; usually gluten-free.
Recipe outline serves 4 · ~55 min
Ingredients
- 1 l tucupi
- 2 tbsp tapioca starch
- 1 bunch jambu leaves
- 100 g dried shrimp, rinsed
- 2 garlic cloves
- chilli, salt
Allergens: Contains: Crustaceans. Based on the typical recipe. Recipes and products vary; always check labels if you have an allergy.
Method
- Boil the tucupi with garlic and salt for 20 minutes.
- Blanch the jambu leaves.
- Cook the tapioca starch with water into a thick paste.
- Put starch paste, jambu and shrimp in bowls and pour over the hot tucupi.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.