Brazilian Beef Farofa

Ingredients

• ¾ lb ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 4 cloves garlic cloves
• 1.5 cups cassava flour (farinha de mandioca)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Dice the onion into 1/4-inch cubes by first cutting it lengthwise in half, then slicing each half crosswise into thin strips, then cutting those strips into small cubes about the size of a pea.

2. 2

   Mince the garlic cloves until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of a pencil-tip dot.

3. 3

   Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.

4. 4

   Add the ground beef to the hot oil and break it apart with a wooden spoon into bite-sized crumbles as it cooks, stirring once every 20 seconds, until no pink remains and the meat is light golden brown, about 5–6 minutes.

5. 5

   Add the minced garlic to the beef and stir constantly for 30 seconds until the smell becomes very strong and fragrant—this releases the garlic's flavor.

6. 6

   Pour in the diced onion and stir every 15 seconds until the onion pieces turn translucent and soft, about 2 minutes.

7. 7

   Reduce the heat to medium and pour in 1.5 cups of cassava flour, stirring constantly to coat all the beef and onion pieces, about 1 minute.

8. 8

   Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the cassava flour mixture and stir constantly until the cassava flour turns light golden brown and smells toasty, about 3–4 minutes.

9. 9

   Sprinkle in the salt and pepper and stir for 20 seconds until evenly distributed.

10. 10

    Transfer the farofa to a serving bowl and let it cool for 2 minutes before serving, so it holds its crumbly texture.

Tools you’ll need

• large skillet (12-inch)
• wooden spoon
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• serving bowl
• medium heat-safe spatula

More recipes like this

• 

  Vegetable Gyoza

  50 min

• 

  Manhattan Clam Chowder

  45 min

• 

  Crispy Chickpea Buddha Bowl

  25 min

• 

  Bánh Pia with Mung Bean & Sesame

  55 min