The escondidinho de siri is one of the many new dishes we tasted during our stay at Vila Araticum in Santo André in April 2021.
Its name comes from the fact that the top layer of purée hides (escondidinho = little hide-and-seek) the main ingredient, in this case the “siri“, that is, the crab. But it can be made in many ways.
The main and fixed ingredient in every preparation is, indeed, the purée, but made with cassava (yuca).
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Brazilian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 18 oz crab meat
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
- to taste parsley
- 200 ml coconut milk (about 7 fl oz (≈3/4 cup))
- 2.2 lb cassava (yuca) (about 35 oz)
- 200 ml cooking cream (about 7 fl oz (≈3/4 cup))
- 7 oz grated cheese
- to taste butter
- to taste olive oil
- to taste salt and pepper
Preparation
Sauté the garlic and onion in olive oil.
Add the crab meat.
Add the coconut milk and parsley, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the crab meat is tender (about 20 minutes).
Cook the peeled and cut cassava in plenty of salted water and then mash it hot with a fork.
Melt the butter in a pan, add the cassava paste and the cream, stirring continuously. Adjust the salt.
In a baking dish, preferably terracotta, layer the purée, then add the crab mixture and cover with more cassava purée.
(You can use a single baking dish or individual single-portion dishes)
Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake in the oven at 356 °F for about 20 minutes.
This Escondidinho de Bacalhau was tasted during the trip to Paraty in March 2024.
You just need to replace the crab with boiled cod.
During our trip to Porto Seguro in March 2026 we tasted the Escondidinho Sertanejo, typical of the area and made with dried beef and mashed ripe plantain (plantain).
But calling it Escondidinho Sertanejo is a tribute to the strength of the inland region. Although here in Porto Seguro the recipe is enriched by the sweetness of the plantain, the soul of the dish remains that of the Sertão (interior): traditionally it uses Carne de Sol, cassava and grated Queijo Coalho.
You can use terracotta bowls for single portions like these: Bowl with 2 Handles, Ceramic, Brown, 6 Bowls at €23.00
