Para Cress

The main feature of this perennial herb native to the North region of Brazil is the curious numbing and tingling sensation it causes in the mouth. High in nutrients such as calcium and iron, the leaves and flowers are rich in spilanthol, a substance capable of making your mouth feel desensitized. If cooked for too long, however, the effect is lost. It is an essential ingredient for tacacá, a traditional soup-like dish served in a gourd containing tucupi (fermented manioc broth), goma, shrimp and para cress leaves. It is also mandatory in other preparations from the Amazon cuisine, such as the tambaqui in tucupi sauce and the duck in tucupi sauce, from Pará. Other names in English include: toothache plant, electric daisy, sansho buttons, buzz buttons, and Sechuan button.