What to eat in Salvador: a guide to Bahian cooking

Palm oil (dendê), brought from West Africa, is the soul of Bahian cooking — an entire cuisine born from resistance.

Acarajé

A black-eyed-pea fritter fried in palm oil, filled with vatapá, dried shrimp and vinaigrette. Sold by the baianas de acarajé in white lace dresses and turbans — a craft recognised as Brazilian cultural heritage.

Fish moqueca

Fish cooked in coconut milk and palm oil with peppers, tomato and coriander, served bubbling in a clay pot.

Vatapá

A cream of bread, dried shrimp, peanuts, cashews and palm oil. It goes with acarajé and fish, but is eaten on its own too.

Caruru

Okra stewed with dried shrimp, palm oil and peanuts — traditional at the Saints Cosmas and Damian festivities in September.

Shrimp bobó

A cassava cream with shrimp, coconut milk and palm oil: rich, velvety and a visitor favourite.

Cocada

A white or caramelised coconut sweet sold at stalls all along the seafront.

Where to try: Rio Vermelho and Ondina have some of the most traditional acarajé stalls. Ask a local which one they love — every Bahian has a favourite.