Brazilian Cuisine Course

Lesson 1 • Core Ingredients and Pantry Essentials

Identify the foundational ingredients used across Brazilian cooking, from grains to spices. Students stock and organise a Brazilian pantry for practical coursework.

Lesson 2 • Regional Diversity Across Brazil

Map the five major culinary regions and their signature ingredients and dishes. Students build a geographic framework for understanding recipe variation.

Lesson 3 • African and Portuguese Culinary Contributions

Examine how African and Portuguese settlers transformed Brazilian food culture. Students identify fusion techniques that define classic Brazilian flavour profiles.

Lesson 1 • Mise en Place for Brazilian Cooking

Organise ingredients, equipment, and timing before cooking begins. Efficient mise en place is the professional standard applied in every subsequent chapter.

Lesson 2 • Knife Selection and Maintenance

Identify knives suited to Brazilian produce and proteins, and maintain their edges. Proper tool care ensures safety and precision throughout the course.

Lesson 3 • Butchering and Portioning Proteins

Break down whole chickens, pork cuts, and fish common in Brazilian recipes. Correct portioning reduces waste and ensures even cooking times.

Lesson 1 • Meat and Seafood Stocks

Produce clear and rich stocks from beef bones, chicken carcasses, and shrimp shells. These stocks form the liquid base for stews, soups, and braises covered later.

Lesson 2 • Vinaigrette and Pepper Sauces

Prepare vinagrete salsa and malagueta pepper sauces used as condiments and marinades. These bright, acidic preparations balance the richness of grilled and braised dishes.

Lesson 3 • Brazilian Sofrito: Refogado

Build the classic refogado base of onion, garlic, tomato, and herbs cooked in fat. This aromatic foundation appears in virtually every savoury Brazilian dish.

Lesson 1 • Brazilian White Rice Technique

Cook arroz branco using the toasting and absorption method with refogado. Proper technique produces separate, fluffy grains that accompany every main dish.

Lesson 2 • Polenta and Corn-Based Preparations

Cook angu and canjica using stone-ground corn for savoury and sweet applications. These preparations reflect indigenous and African grain traditions in Brazilian cooking.

Lesson 3 • Black Beans and Feijão Varieties

Prepare feijão preto and other bean varieties from dried and canned forms. Students control texture and seasoning for use in feijoada and everyday meals.

Lesson 1 • Vatapá and Afro-Brazilian Stews

Produce vatapá and caruru using peanuts, cashews, dried shrimp, and dendê oil. These Afro-Brazilian dishes require precise texture management and bold seasoning balance.

Lesson 2 • Moqueca: Bahian Seafood Stew

Cook moqueca baiana with fish, shrimp, coconut milk, and dendê oil in a clay pot. Students practise heat control to preserve seafood texture and sauce integrity.

Lesson 3 • Feijoada: Brazil's National Dish

Assemble and cook feijoada completa with black beans, smoked meats, and accompaniments. Students manage multi-component timing and traditional service presentation.

Lesson 4 • Caldo and Sopa Traditions

Prepare caldo de feijão, caldo verde, and sopa de mandioca using stock foundations. These soups demonstrate how Brazilian cooking adapts European soup formats.

Lesson 1 • Grilled Vegetables and Side Dishes

Grill pão de queijo, polenta slices, and vegetables as churrasco accompaniments. These sides balance the richness of grilled meats and complete the churrasco spread.

Lesson 2 • Skewering and Seasoning Meats

Season picanha, fraldinha, and chicken with rock salt and marinades, then skewer correctly. Proper skewering ensures even cooking and safe rotation over the fire.

Lesson 3 • Tableside Carving and Service

Practise the rodízio-style carving technique for slicing meat directly onto guests' plates. Students develop knife control, speed, and professional service posture.

Lesson 1 • Esfiha and Savoury Baked Snacks

Prepare open-faced esfiha with spiced meat and closed versions with cheese. These Lebanese-Brazilian snacks demonstrate immigrant culinary influence on Brazilian street food.

Lesson 2 • Coxinha and Filled Dough Snacks

Prepare coxinha dough, chicken filling, and breading for deep frying. Students practise shaping, sealing, and frying to achieve a crisp shell with moist interior.

Lesson 3 • Acarajé: Afro-Brazilian Bean Fritters

Soak, peel, and grind black-eyed peas into batter for acarajé, then fry in dendê oil. Students learn the cultural significance and precise frying technique of this Bahian speciality.

Lesson 4 • Pão de Queijo: Cheese Bread Mastery

Mix and bake pão de queijo using polvilho azedo and fresh cheese for the correct chew. Students control hydration and oven temperature for consistent hollow, crispy results.

Lesson 1 • Juices, Vitaminas, and Non-Alcoholic Drinks

Blend açaí, cupuaçu, and tropical fruit vitaminas for breakfast and dessert menus. Students balance sweetness, texture, and temperature for high-volume beverage service.

Lesson 2 • Brigadeiro and Chocolate Confections

Cook brigadeiro to the correct fudge stage using condensed milk and cocoa powder. Students practise rolling, coating, and presenting these confections for professional service.

Lesson 3 • Caipirinhas and Classic Cocktails

Muddle, measure, and balance caipirinhas using cachaça, lime, and sugar. Students learn spirit characteristics and variations using seasonal fruits for bar menu applications.

Lesson 4 • Quindim and Egg-Based Custards

Bake quindim using egg yolks, coconut, and sugar in a water bath for a glossy finish. Students control bain-marie temperature to achieve the dense, shiny custard texture.