moqueca de peixe is a fish stew that originates from indigenous tribes in bahia and is traditionally cooked in a clay pot, with coconut milk, palm oil and a choice selection of fish - it can be found in the restaurants and homes of almost all cariocas.

cod is an extremely popular fish in brazil, and the word for the fish, bacalhau, now refers to a dish that has been developed over decades and famously eaten at christmas - it also is a popular guest at big family meals and dinner parties.

cod was introduced to brazil by the portuguese court in the early 19th century and it is recorded that towards the end of the century intellectuals such as machado de assis would meet every sunday at a restaurant in rio to eat the traditional porto cod dish.

acarajé is a wonderfully unique african-brazilian dish that involves a base made of traditional black-eyed beans, onion, salt and palm oil, first recorded in bahia in 1916 - the ingredients are rolled into a ball, somewhat like a falafel, which is then cut in half and served with a filling of pigweed, steamed shrimp, pepper and salad.