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Rolete de cana (sugarcane on a stick)
Rolete de cana: peeled sugarcane discs on a skewer, chilled and chewed for their sweet juice
On the sand at Porto da Barra in Salvador, and in the crowds of the Festa de Iemanjá in Rio Vermelho every February, vendors walk with buckets of ice and bundles of skewers threaded with pale sugarcane discs. You chew each piece to squeeze out the cold, grassy-sweet juice, then spit out the fibre. It is the simplest snack there is and very refreshing in the heat. Not for small children, as the fibres are a choking risk. Chef's tip: cut between the knobbly joints, not through them; the nodes are hard as wood.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb fresh sugarcane1 stalk, about 1 m
- 1 ⅛ lb ice cubes
- 1 lime (optional)cut into wedges
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Scrub 2 ¼ lb fresh sugarcane and cut it into 30 cm lengths between the joints with a heavy knife or cleaver, on a board set on a damp cloth so it does not slip.
4 minStep 2: Stand each length upright and cut away the hard outer rind in downward strokes. Common mistake: leaving patches of rind; it is tough and splintery. You want only the pale, juicy core.
6 minStep 3: Cut the core into 2 cm discs, skipping the hard nodes, and thread 6–8 onto each bamboo skewer.
4 minStep 4: Chill the skewers on 1 ⅛ lb ice cubes for 5 minutes. Squeeze over 1 lime if you like, chew each disc for the juice and discard the fibre.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 110 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 27 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does rolete de cana (sugarcane on a stick) take?
- About 15 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
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