Pygocentrus nattereri (red-bellied piranha) e Serrasalmus rhombeus (black piranha)
WITH A STRONG presence in the North and Midwest regions, where its culinary use is more evident, this freshwater fish is not very common in markets elsewhere in the country. Among the more than thirty different species, only two have commercial elevance: the black piranha, found in the Amazon and Araguaia-Tocantins basins, and the red-bellied piranha, whose habitat also include the basins of La Plata and São Francisco rivers, as well as ponds in the Northeast region. In the kitchen, piranhas can be roasted, fried or stewed. The fish has many bones. The most popular preparation is a hearty broth, which many believe has aphrodisiac properties. Appropriate for consumption from March to July, and from September and October.
