Portuguese cuisine is mostly known for its seafood as it is a Peninsular country. Many spices are also being used in cooking as this country produces a lot of spices such as peri-peri, black pepper, cinnamon, saffron, vanilla, etc. They also use olive oil for cooking as well as flavoring. Portuguese have an equal share of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes in their bucket list. Here is the list of some of the rare Portuguese dishes which might be liked by everyone who visits Portugal. These dishes are surely going to make you fall in love with them and fill you with lots of excitement to taste them.
Arroz Doce
Arroz Doce also called as Rice pudding is a dish which very similar to kheer in India. It is prepared by cooking rice with milk and water. Other ingredients such as raisins, cashew nuts, and cinnamon can be added with a little sweetener such as sugar. It is one of the favorite dishes among vegetarian Indian tourists. They love to taste the Portugal twist in their traditional dish.
Caldo Verde
It is the most traditional Portuguese vegetarian soup. It was the staple food for poor people as it only required very few ingredients such as potato, onion, olive oil, and the local Portuguese cabbage. Nowadays, it is cooked with spices and garnished with lots of herbs to add more flavor. It is served in a clay bowl and is very much popular among the vegetarian tourists.
Castanha Assada
Castanha Assada also called as baked chestnuts are very common thing found on the streets being sold by many vendors during winter and could be one of the favorites and cheapest thing to eat while roaming on the streets. The freshly baked chestnuts give a very mouthwatering look.
Caracois
Caracois or snails are a very popular dish in Portugal but is a seasonal dish and can be found mostly during summer. Snails are collected and kept for a few days without food, and then they are boiled in water with spices and oil. They are garnished with herbs or peri-peri according to the customer’s need before serving. For eating the snails one has to either suck them out and eat or they can be pulled out with the help of toothpicks. This food is very rich in protein and is the cheapest too.
Dobrada
This is a very popular tripe dish in Portugal and Brazil. Tripe is the intestine of the cow. It a stew dish that is normally cooked with white beans and several seasonal vegetables like beans, onion, carrot. It is usually served with rice. It is also called as Dobradinha. This dish is also served with strong, aromatic white wine.
Ameijoas a bulhao pato
It is one of the favorite appetizers among the tourists as well as the locals. it is best served with an ice-cold beer. these are made from some sea creatures called clams. They are cooked in olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper until tender. Sometimes they are also cooked in different kinds of sauces.
Tripas a Moda do Porto
It is very much similar to dobrada. It is made with sausages, beans, and tripe. This dish has a historical touch to it. According to the folk tales when Henry, the seaman was arranging and loading his ships to conquer Ceuta in August 1415, he asked the people of Oporto to give him enough food for the journey. They happily showed their generosity and filled the ship with enough food for the navy. But they were only left with a tripe or the animals. So they started cooking varieties of dishes with the tripe and finally, they made this dish with only leftover items.
Arroz de cabidela
This dish is usually made by mixing rice and chicken or rabbit. First, the animal is slaughtered, then it is hung above the pot so that the blood drains out and it is collected in the pot. The chicken is cooked in the water and its own blood which gives a brown color to the dish. Vinegar and vegetables are also added to the meat while cooking. The rice is cooked either with the meat or separately.
Burras assadas
It is made of pig, but what’s unusual in this is, made from the jawbone of a pig. It is called as roast pork. It is usually accompanied by baked potatoes. Usually, the pork is baked in the oven with spices and olive oil. It is a familiar dish for many visitors.
Bacalhau a bras
It is one of the most famous traditional dishes of Portugal. It is a dish made of fish which is also called as cod in Portuguese. They are often cooked with potato, onion, and beaten eggs. It is garnished with parsley and black olives.
Pasteis de Nata
It is one of the ancient food of Portugal, first cooked in 18th centuries when the monasteries and convents produced a large number of eggs. So, they started making varieties of confectionary items. Pasteis de Nata was one of them. Anyone who visits Portugal will surely try this pastry and fall in love with the taste.
Porto wine
It is one of the most prestigious and famous wines in the world. It is Portugal’s highly exported wine, as it is famous for its taste and superior quality. It is sweet in taste and has a red color texture. It is often served as a dessert after meals.
Conclusion
So, if you are in Portugal or planning to visit the country, make sure that you taste some of the best dishes in the country. These mouth-watering dishes are surely going to amaze with their taste and make you their fan. You will also love to know the history of some of these rare dishes that may take to the ancient time. So, enjoy these rare and healthy dishes.