Piracuí Flour

The steps for producing piracuí flour are similar to the ones used in the manufacturing of flaked corn or manioc flour. The difference is the raw material: fish such as acari and tamuatá, endemic to the rivers of the Amazon Basin. They are either cooked or baked, the bones are removed, and the flesh is shredded, and then toasted in a large pan, over a wood-fired stove, before being sifted. The production, which is artisanal, concentrates on the Manaus region, in the Amazon, and in Santarém, in Pará. High in protein, this flour can be eaten on its own or used as an ingredient in soups, fritters and farofas (seasoned manioc flour). Piracuí flour is one of the ingredients included in the Arca do Gosto (Ark of Taste), a Slow Food movement to popularize ingredients in danger of extinction.