Typical Pantanal cuisine – the Piranha Soup

By Anna Avalanche, Gisa Miles and Luiz Speedwell

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As we have written about Bonito this article is a nice tip about the typical cuisine you might want to try.

If you come to Bonito – Brazil – and visit Pantanal you must try this energetic dish the Piranha Soup. A lot of people believe if you are far away from big cities, more easy is to preserve the regional tastes from external influences. But we must consider that a typical dish keep its essence because of emotions and remembers arouse deep in people feelings.
In Bonito region the culinary is typically Pantaneira, it means from Pantanal. With a rich variety in fish, the flavored food of the south of Mato Grosso do Sul had a great influence from European, Arabic and other South American countries. “Puchero”, a typical broth made of beef and vegetables came from Argentina. “Tereré”, which is from Paraguay, is a brew made from the “mate” dried leaves and it is served icy in an ox horn.

It stands out the cooking of various typical fish, “pacu”, “pintado”, “dourado” (salmon-like fish) and other species of fish, which can be fried, roasted or boiled. For those who enjoy really exotic food, the region offers flavored dishes as the famous “Piranha” broth considered aphrodisiac.

Below there is a recipe for the Pantanal most famous dish.
PIRANHA SOUP
Yield 4 portions. If you are not in Bonito you can substitute “piranha” for black bass, corvine, tilapia or other fish.
Ingredients:
4 11/2- to 3- pound piranha, scaled and gutted, with as many vertical incisions in the
skin as possible.
2 tiny Spanish onions (they are sweeter)
2 diced carrots
2 bunches of scallions, chopped green and whites
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 hot peppers, diced and seeded
4 steamed and peeled potatoes (use a Yukon gold or a russet)
8 ounces white wine
2 ounces soy sauce
1 teaspoon tumeric
1 teaspoon toasted ground cumin
1 bunch chopped tarragon
METHOD
1) Cut fish into quarters, including the head, and sear in wide-based pot (a braising pan would be perfect).
2) Remove fish and add onions, scallions, carrots and garlic. Sauté until slightly tender.
3) Add tomatoes and white wine, reduce by half.
4) Add potatoes and soy sauce.
5) Add remaining ingredients (except tarragon), including fish.
6) Let simmer 20 minutes, season with salt and pepper, and then add tarragon.
7) Check seasoning and serve in a bowl with the vegetables and the broth. Garnish with chopped tomato and scallion mixed with fresh lime juice and virgin olive oil

The better is come to visit Bonito and try the real piranha soup a typical Pantanal dish cuisine
This article has been sponsored by AA Trade Company, Cleary (128,128,0)

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