Equivalent of custard powder?

Unless there is a specialty shop that sells imported foods from the UK you aren't going to find custard powder in Rio. If you can find a shop then you might you might get lucky and find Bird's Custard Powder, but legend has it that it was missing Bird's was what led Ronnie Biggs (of the Great Train Robbery fame) to leave Brazil and go back to the UK.

I'd suggest that you try using an instant vanilla pudding mix, which should be available in most supermarkets as a substitute for Birds Custard Powder.

Regarding the fresh cream, what are you really talking about? Heavy cream or whipping cream? If you're looking for heavy cream then you'll find little boxes of that everywhere "Creme de Leite". And if you're looking for whipping cream then you'll probably find that in the dairy section of most supermarkets "Creme para Chantilly". Most places also sell the spray cans of whipped cream if you want to poison yourself. Many non-dairy whipped toppings are available too.

Yes, I meant Bird's Custard Powder. So how would you use this instant vanilla mix? Would i need to add leite condensado?
Regarding the fresh cream, yes i mean the creme de leite, i just thought there would be a version which is sold in the fridges as fresh. But that's fine anyway, thanks.

The instant vanilla pudding mix should be prepared according to the package directions, possibly with slightly less milk to give it a thicker consistency. There is no need to use leite condensado.

Most of the milk products in Brazil receive Ultra-high Temperature treatment and are packaged, due to the fact that they're able to be shipped over great distances without the need of refrigeration. While there is a definite difference in taste between UHT milk and fresh pasteurized milk (unless it's icy cold) I really haven't noticed any taste difference with the Creme de Leite or Chantilly.

Thanks so much!!! You're so helpful!!! It's amazing the things expats have to come up with in our kitchens to get a "taste of home"!

Yes, unfortunately we all tend to overlook the simple things in life like the foods we're so used to when we move abroad. Even though I learned as much as possible about the history, geography and culture of this country long before I came here and I knew the names of all the food ingredients in Portuguese, I wasn't quite prepared for the lack of availability of some of my most favorite things.

Maple syrup, which I love on pancakes, is extremely hard to find here and when you do find it the price is outrageous so I've had to make some adjustments. Now I use Caramel Topping for ice cream instead... it's a reasonably good substitute, available everywhere and it's relatively cheap. Peanut butter is hit-and-miss, took some getting used to the fact that they add honey to it here, so it can't be used in many recipes. Tahini paste for Greek and Arab cooking costs an arm and a leg, not all supermarkets carry it either. Yogurt here is far too watery. The list is endless so you've got to really be inventive in the kitchen or you're stuck with the customary Brazilian diet, not that Brazilian dishes aren't absolutely delicious, but my tastes are quite eclectic and I've always enjoyed cooking international cuisine.

I promised to cook for my very generous nordestine hosts when I was there earlier this year. But I just couldn't find the ingredients I needed and had to give up the chase.
When I go back I want to take the missing ingredients with me. Is this even allowed?
I am used to British and French supermarkets but love Italian, Greek, Chinese, North African and Middle Eastern cooking. Has any thoughful person put together a list of ingredients not available, or hard to come by, in Brazil for people who like to cook other cuisines?
A man cannot live on beans alone (oh, sorry, they can in Brazil)

Kevin.C.H wrote:

A man cannot live on beans alone (oh, sorry, they can in Brazil)

Way too funny! Gotta watch that. 

Sadly, here in Brazil we're almost forced to due to the scarcity of imported food products. Outside of the three major state capitals (São Paulo / Rio / Belo Horizonte) they may even be completely unavailable.

What exactly is it you're looking for, if we have a better idea then there is a better chance that I or some other member can help you in this daunting quest, since we've all gone through it at one time or another.

Tahini paste, for Greek/Middle Eastern cuisine - available at some major supermarkets in the "big three" mentioned above, and should be available in most specialty shops there too. Be prepared it's going to cost you a Kings Ransom though.

Natural Yogurt, for Greek and other cuisines is available everywhere, but here it's far too watery and you're going to have to leave it drain in a paper coffee filter in a plastic cone to get rid of the excess moisture for most recipes.

Sour cream - here there is a very similar product called "Colahda" which has about the same consistency, but it's not nearly as sour (try adding a couple of drops of vinegar and let it sit for a few minutes).

Buttermilk - same story here just almost impossible to find, a few drops of vinegar in a cup of regular whole milk, let it stand for a few minutes before making those Buttermilk Pancakes you've been hankering for.


Maple Syrup, Peanut Butter, Lyles Golden Syrup, many other things are going to be a real challenge so don't get your hopes up there.

Regarding trying to bring food products into Brazil, like most other countries, it's a very risky proposition and you stand a good chance that they'll get confiscated, especially if they're based on agricultural products that are grown here and might pose a risk of crop contamination here.

Thanks for those pointers.
What about fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, mint, basil, coriander etc? Can you grow your own?
I can't live without spices: all the curry spices, cardamom, cinnamon.
Brazilians also seem resistant to pepper except in Bahia. I remember the looks of horror as I sprinkled the tabasco sauce!
There has to be more to Brazilian cuisine than I saw. I suppose the North East isn't the best place to start.

Sure you can grow your own. They even sell seeds. As for myself, I bought a bunch of mint and propagated it in water and now it grows gracefully in my own veranda. You can do the same for a number of other herbs which are "water-propagatable".
As for curry I found the powder (not paste) at Mundial (supermercado popular), so I deduce you can find that pretty everywhere, at least in Rio.
As for cinnamon, you'll easily find both the sticks as well as the powder. The powder is very common in Brazil since it is a basic ingredient of the famous Canjica dish.

Actually, most of the spices you already use are widely available in Brazil, usually you can get many in the supermarkets and you'll always find the best and freshest selection at the Central or Municipal Market in any city in Brazil.

Strange that you feel Brazilians are resistant to pimenta except in Bahia. While the state is famous for its highly spiced dishes molho de pimenta is an ingredient that can be found in almost every Brazilian kitchen. While I've met some Brazilians in my 13 years here that aren't crazy about pimenta, they're few and far between.

Growing your own spices and herbs is always the best way to go, it's common here and the seeds are available even in small cities. You can grow them almost anywhere, any decent plot of ground or even potted on balconies or window sills. However, fresh herbs are also quite common in the local fruit and vegetable shops (hortifruti or sacolão) here in Brazil too.

Well, gotta tell you folks that sometimes being a teacher can bring great surprises.

Today, completely unexpectedly, I received a wonderful present from a former student's father... I was given a 375 ml bottle of 100% Pure Canadian Maple Syrup. That noise you heard earlier today was my jaw hitting the floor, believe it!!!

It's safely stashed away in my kitchen cupboard, waiting for a special occasion, when I'll make a fully traditional Canadian Sunday breakfast - buttermilk pancakes, fried eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast and coffee. Gonna taste just like being back home - yummy!

Hi there, the best way is to make it your self
this is a link from the BBC Recipes, have a look and see what you think
the best of luck
from Peter
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/realp … tard_65614

Hehe thanks for this. Yes im inclined to try this recipe. It's just that at the time I wanted to leave out the eggs. But thanks anyways!!!