Farofa
Farofa is a typical Brazilian dish made of toasted manioc flour. It's usually served as a side dish along with feijoada or grilled meat.
Total Time
10 minutes
Servings
~600 g
1-2 tbsp butter or vegetable oil, preferably olive oil.
2 large garlic cloves, minced
A few pieces of chopped processed fatty meat (typically bacon)
2 onions, chopped
500 g manioc (cassava) flour or premade farofa mix
1–2 tbsp tempero baiano (see notes)
Salt to taste
Cilantro to taste, chopped (optional)
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the meat and fry for a minute or so. Depending on how much fat is released from it, add up to 1 tbsp of the oil or butter, enough to fry the garlic and onions.
Add the garlic, and stir for a minute or so, making sure not to let it burn.
Add the onion and seasonings, and cook for about another minute.
Add the flour and any additional ingredients. Stir well and continue toasting for a couple minutes more. If using premade farofa mix, stir until the extra ingredients are well-done. If using raw cassava flour, slowly add the remaining butter or oil and stir until toasted and golden.
Turn off the heat, and add chopped cilantro if desired. Serve hot to warm.
- •Additional ingredients may be added for taste and texture. Common additions are green olives, fried plantains, ground ginger, dry textured vegetable protein and onion flakes.
- •Tempero baiano (see notes) is a Brazilian spice mix based on cumin, paprika, cilantro and oregano. If you don't have it, you can add the individual components to taste.
- •Manioc flour or premade farofa mix may already be salted, so taste when adding more salt.
- •Coarse corn flour in flakes can be used as a substitute for the cassava flour.