Both Brazil and Argentina claim to be the BBQ champions of South America. While each country approaches meat differently, from cuts to accompaniments, some things stay consistent – especially, the ogre-sized portions of meat, best enjoyed at a leisurely pace and with an elasticated waistband.

Premium cuts (the most popular being picanha, or rump cap) are seasoned simply with coarse salt before being grilled to pink perfection over charcoal (or wood, if you're doing it the old-fashioned Southern manner) in Brazil. Sausages, queijo coalho (squeaky cheese on a stick), and chicken hearts will share grill space at home, while churrascarias (barbecue-style steakhouses) will slice all manner of meats on skewers – from pork to lamb and wild boar – directly onto your plate.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs pork shoulder sliced into thin pieces, 3 tablespoons Knorr Liquid Seasoning, 4 pieces calamansi or 2 pieces lime, ½ cup banana ketchup, ½ cup soy sauce, 2 ½ tablespoons brown sugar, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 5 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Knorr Liquid Seasoning, 1 piece calamansi or ½ lime, ¼ cup banana ketchup, 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Instructions

• Place the pork in a large bowl. Add all the BBQ marinade ingredients. Mix well. Cover the bowl and place inside the refrigerator. Marinate for at least 3 hours. Note: marinating for a longer period of time is ideal for the meat to absorb the flavors from the marinade.
• Skewer the marinated pork in bamboo skewers.
• Prepare the basting sauce by combining all the basting sauce ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.
  
• Heat-up the grill. Grill the pork barbeque for 2 minutes. Baste the top part using a brush and then turn it over. Baste the top again. Continue to grill one side for 2 to 2 ½ minutes while basting every time its flipped until the BBQ is done.
  
• Arrange in a serving plate. Serve with rice on the side and a dipping sauce of spicy vinegar. Share and enjoy!
  

More than just a fish stew, moqueca is served with a dramatic flourish, with clouds of aromatic steam rising from the sizzling hot clay pot as it is uncovered at the table. Both Baianos (from Bahia, in the north-east of the country) and Capixabas (from the neighboring state of Esprito Santo) claim to be the inventors of the meal, and both serve up equally delicious varieties. Fish and/or other seafood are cooked in diced tomatoes, onions, and coriander in their most basic form. The Capixabas use annatto seeds as a natural red food coloring, whereas the Baianos use palm oil, peppers, and coconut milk in their version. Rice, farofa (toasted manioc flour – great for wiping up liquids), and piro are served alongside.

Ingredients

• 1 lb tilapia filets, 32 oz vegetable broth, 15 oz can diced tomatoes, with juices, 4 oz can diced green chilis, 1/4 cup lime or lemon juice, 2 large red bell peppers seeded, de-stemmed and diced, 1 medium yellow onion pureed or diced small (about 1 cup), 2 large carrots diced (about 1/2 cup), 1 tbsp garlic minced, 1 tbsp taco seasoning mix, 1 tbsp palm oil (optional), 14 oz can coconut milk (optional), salt and pepper to taste, 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

• Do all your pre-prep steps like juicing your lemons/limes, dicing your bell peppers, dice or pureeing your onion, dicing your carrots, chopping your cilantro and mincing your garlic.
• In a large bowl combine vegetable broth, diced tomatoes with juice, green chilis, lemon or lime juice, bell peppers, carrots, garlic, onions, taco seasoning, and palm oil (if using). Stir to combine.
• Place contents of bowl in a slow cooker, add whole tilapia filets. Cover and cook on LOW 6-8 hours/HIGH 3 to 4 hours. Optional: whisk to combine can of coconut milk, then add to slowcooker and heat until warmed through. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro. Salt and pepper to taste
• Pour contents of bowl into a labeled gallon-size (4 L) freezer bag. Place tilapia filets in same bag. Seal, removing as much air as possible, and freeze flat.
• Place bag in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours to thaw. Place contents of bag in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW 6-8 hours/HIGH 3 to 4 hours. Optional: whisk to combine can of coconut milk, then add to slow cooker and heat until warmed through. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro. Salt and pepper to taste.
  

Brigadeiros, Brazil's equivalent to the chocolate truffle, are so easy to prepare that they're actually laid out for kids' celebrations all throughout the country. Condensed milk and cocoa powder are simmered together, then butter is whisked in and the mixture is shaped into balls before being rolled in chocolate sprinkles. They're guaranteed to give you a sugar rush, but some people find them too sweet. Brazilians, on the other hand, will not hear a word against them.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter, 14 oz sweetened condensed milk(395 g), ¼ cup cocoa powder(30 g), 1 cup chocolate sprinkle(160 g), as needed

Instructions

• In a pot over low heat, melt the butter, condensed milk, and cocoa powder, stirring continuously until you can see the bottom of the pot for 2-3 seconds when dragging a spatula through.
• Pour onto a greased plate, then chill for 1 hour.
• Shape and roll the chilled mixture into balls.
• Roll the balls in chocolate sprinkles.

In Brazil's Pão de queijo, a moreish snack enjoyed at any time of day, cheese and bread, two traditional favorites around the world, are brought together in glorious union. The gluten-free bread rolls are made with tapioca flour, eggs, and grated curado minas cheese (a cow's milk cheese from the state of Minas Gerais), rolled into little balls, and are crisp on the exterior and soft and chewy on the inside. Keep a watch out for po de queijo packed with cream cheese or various meaty contents and served in fist-sized rolls (or even a cake-sized bake) for a naughty twist.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of sour flour (sour), 1 cup (tea) sweet flour, 1 ½ cups coarsely grated semi-cured cheese, 3 eggs, 1 ½ cups (tea) of water, ¼ cup (tea) of oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, oil to taste for greasing hands

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 200°C (medium temperature). Separate two medium non-stick baking sheets (if they are not non-stick, grease with a thin layer of oil).
• Place the water and oil in a small saucepan (or kettle) and bring to a boil over medium heat. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the sprinkles and salt – be careful when measuring the sprinkles: as it is a light ingredient, fill the cup with the bag until it forms a mound and then level it with a knife, or fill the cup and give it tap the powder to settle and fill in what's missing.
• As soon as the water and oil mixture boils, slowly pour over the sprinkle mixture, to scald. Stir well with a wooden spoon (or spatula) until all the liquid is incorporated. Wait for the dough to warm up. But wait: if it is hot and you follow the recipe, it will cook the eggs that will be added and melt the grated cheese, making the preparation go wrong.
• Add the grated cheese and mix well.
• In a small bowl, break one egg at a time and add to the dough – if one is spoiled, you won't lose the recipe.
• Mix vigorously with each addition to fully incorporate each egg, preferably with a wooden spoon. The dough won't be smooth, don't be scared it's like that. The texture is a little more rustic, with sprinkles, and a little sticky. The important thing is that all the ingredients are well mixed, without leaving the liquid part of the egg separated from the dough.
• To shape the cheese breads: put a little oil on a saucer to grease your hands; With a spoon, remove a portion of the dough and roll it to the size of a golf ball (about 6 cm in diameter). If your hand starts to stick together, stop, wash your hand, and grease it again. Transfer the shaped cheese bread to the baking sheet and repeat with the rest leaving space between each one – they rise as they bake.
• Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes, until risen and golden. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
  

Acarajé is a deep-fried patty made of crushed black-eyed peas, palm oil, and puréed onions, then split open and packed with dried shrimp and vatapá, a rich and spicy purée made of prawns, bread, cashew nuts, and other ingredients. The meal hails from Bahia, in Brazil's northeast, where the flavors are heavily influenced by African cuisine. Acarajé is best served steaming hot, straight from the oil vat, with a generous splash of chili sauce.

Ingredients

• Half a kilo of peas (beans or beans), Half a kilo of small shrimp, peeled and cut, flour (a pinch), 1 large onion chopped, Salt to taste, pepper to taste, Vegetable oil

Instructions

• The first thing they should do is let the beans sit overnight. The next day, once softened, they should be washed in cold water and drained. Then with your hands, rub them until the skin is removed.
• Take a blender and puree them by adding a little water until you get a thick dough. Add the chopped onion, salt, pepper and a pinch of flour.
• Light a frying pan with the vegetable oil over low heat. Go throwing small portions of the dough. For this step, you can help yourself with a spoon and then yes, let them brown for about 5 minutes. Take them out and strain them on absorbent paper.
• For the presentation, serve them on a plate and sprinkle them with a little pepper on top.