Tempero Baiano

Tempero Baiano (pronounced "tem-pair” “bi-yan-o"), is also called Brazilian seasoning, Brazilian spice mix, or tempero baiano seasoning.
 

What Is Tempero Baiano

From the northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia comes this delightful spice blend Tempero Baiano which translates to "Bahian seasoning". Used throughout Brazil, this blend is complex, distinctive and versatile and is used to add zest to beans, broths, chicken, seafood, soups, stews and vegetables.
 

The History of Bahian Cuisine

Pedro Álvares Cabral was a Portuguese nobleman, military commander, and explorer who landed on the southern coast of Bahia at what is now Porto Seguro in 1500, claiming the territory for Portugal. The indigenous people of the area were the Tupi, the Gês, the Cariris, and the Caeté. Within 100 years of the Portuguese arrival approximately 90% of the native population had died from European diseases.

In 1549, Portugal established the city of Salvador, which is 435 miles up the coast from Porto Seguro, as the first capital of Brazil. Salvador is one of the oldest colonial cities in the Americas and became the most important trading post in the Portuguese colony as its large port made the city a center for the sugarcane market and the slave trade from the 16th to the 18th centuries. More than a third of all slaves taken from Africa during this period were shipped to Salvador and then sent throughout Brazil to work in various sugar plantations.

Salvador’s cuisine shares the history of the native people and the Portuguese colonists, but by far the most important influence on Bahian cuisine came from the enslaved Africans, who brought their own style of cooking with them while also modifying traditional Portuguese dishes with African herbs and spices. Today, Salvador is an important cultural center for the country’s Afro-Brazilian population. This diversity is especially evident in the dishes prepared and enjoyed in the vibrant city of Salvador.

Bahian cuisine is characterized by the generous use of Malagueta Chiles and dendê oil which is extracted from an African palm that grows well in the northeastern climate of the country.
 

What Does Tempero Baiano Taste Like

Herby with a spicy kick.
 

How to Use Tempero Baiano Seasoning

Americans have evolved their love affair with Asian flavors by expanding beyond the Americanized version of Chinese food and developing a more sophisticated taste for authentic Sichuan, Thai, and Vietnamese cuisine. This same trend is playing out to those who started with Tex-Mex and then graduated to more authentic Mexican cuisine and are now looking even further south – all the way down to South America's Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Peru. Beloved in kitchens across Brazil, but especially in the Brazilian state of Bahia, Tempero Baiano is a rich, versatile spice and herb blend that is ideal for experimenting with in bean, seafood, stew, and vegetable dishes.

Some chefs have likened the use of Tempero Baiano to the way India uses Curry Seasonings while others say that with the way it pairs so well with seafood that it is more like Brazil's version of Old Bay Seasoning.

Use Tempero Baiano to spice up traditional Brazilian recipes such as Feijoada (hearty black bean & meat stew) and Moqueca (fish stew recipe with coconut milk). Rub either chicken or fish with olive oil and season with Tempero Baiano. Jamie Oliver uses it in the flour mixture for a Brazilian style fried chicken. Use to season collard greens, mustard greens, or roasted potatoes. We've also used it to season a Savory Brazilian Pizza.

 

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