Farofa

Farofa is a widely varying flavoring dish conumend in South America. It can be found commercially produced and packaged in many South American markets but is often prepared in home kitchens based on family recipies. The key ingredient of all Farofas is toasted manioc (a.k.a. cassava, yucca, or tapioca) flour. Most recipes will also contain varying amounts of salt, smoked meat, and spices. The consistency of the mixture also ranges from large grains the size of cracked bulgur wheat or couscous, down to a table-salt-sized powder. Most farofas have a very smoky and slightly salty taste, by and large used to accentuate the taste of meat, particularly barbecued meat, and the hearty stews. Farofa is served alongside the main course and can either be sprinkled on by individual diners to their taste preference before eating, or eaten as an accumpaniement in its own right, as rice is often consumed. This dish is partucularly popular in Brazil.