Before examining “comida vegana Brasileira”, let us first become familiarized with this magnificent country and home to the Amazon Rain Forest. Brazil is an exuberant, vibrant, and wonderous country filled with exotica and a haven for natural beauty and awe. Brazil is planet Earth’s fifth largest country. Not only that, but Brazil also stands as the world’s fifth most populous country. Most of the northwestern region of Brazil is home to nearly two-thirds of the Amazon Rainforest. The Amazon is the largest tropical rainforest on the planet. In other words, it’s a very big country with a very large population. Consequently, it must hold one very large collective appetite. Food is the fuel that powers human beings. What specific fuel type powers South America?
Veganism’s Brazilian Rise
Brazil is and has always been known as a country home to everyday meat consumers. The is home to over 210 million human inhabitants with vastly varying cultural backgrounds. As one can clearly see, Brazil is no stranger to diversity. Veganism is definitely on the rise in the country. Over 25,000 stores have been noted for their growing acceptance of veganism. As a result, vegan food sales have sky-rocketed throughout the country. Studies show that the number of vegetarian citizens has nearly doubled since 2011. There have been no similar studies conducted pertaining to vegans as of yet. Veganism’s spread, is however, visible in other ways.
Brazilian Vegan Vittles
Ah-ha; let us now circle back to examining Brazilian vegan food, shall we? Let’s begin with a powerful Plantain-based Vegan Lasagna a.k.a. Pastelón! I have a personal connection with this particular dish. An old friend of mine’s mother used to prepare this for us as children. Their family originated from Sao Paulo, Brazil. This dish is a favorite of mine from any vegan menu. Vegan Plantain Lasagna is also known to be a casserole with preparation hailing from Carribean culinary practices. Instead of using pasta as one would in traditional lasagna, sweet fried plantains are utilized. The base consists of Bolognese, red lentils, mushrooms and/or walnuts for texture. Spices include oregano, cumin, and ground chili spices.
Vegan Tofu Moqueca is a vegan version of a traditional Brazilian stew. This is a jammed packed vegetable stew made with fried tofu, making it very hearty. It consists of coconut, butternut squash, red peppers, green beans, and spinach. Vegetable Feijoada is a Brazilian comfort food platter. It’s a vegan alternate to a classic Brazilian black bean stew. This is another dish that is packed full of vegetables, but is also gluten-free. Farofa, for example, is a toasted cassava flour prepared with fried garlic. This dish usually contains butter, fried bacon, and eggs. These ingredients can quickly be substituted with vegan alternatives. The list of vegan dish delicacies continues to be added to as time rolls on in a deliciously high-rising veganistic climb up the Brazilian ladder of culinary cultural traditions.
