Tacacá

Step 1: A word on safety first. Tucupi comes from bitter (wild) manioc, which naturally contains compounds that release cyanide; long boiling and fermenting make it safe. Never make tucupi yourself from raw cassava, and buy only tucupi sold as cooked for eating. Even so, boil it as cooks in Pará do, as below.

Step 2: Pour the 6 ¼ cups tucupi (cooked, shop-bought) into a large pan with the 4 cloves garlic, ½ oz chicória (culantro) or fresh coriander, ⅓ oz alfavaca or basil leaves and 2 pimenta-de-cheiro or mild fresh chilli. Bring to the boil over a high heat, then keep it at a steady rolling boil, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes, skimming any foam. Common mistake: just heating the tucupi through. It must boil hard and long, for safety and for a rounder, less raw taste.

Step 3: Meanwhile, rinse the 4 oz dried whole shrimp (Amazonian camarão seco), cover with boiling water and soak for 10 minutes. Drain, cover with fresh water, boil for 5 minutes, then drain. Taste one; if it's still very salty, repeat the boil.

Step 4: Pick the 7 oz jambu leaves and flowers leaves and flowers from the thick stalks. Blanch them in salted boiling water for 3–4 minutes until tender and bright green, then drain. Don't cook them longer or the tingle fades. Watercress makes a fresh, peppery stand-in but won't numb your lips; a little crushed Sichuan pepper sprinkled on top gives a similar buzz.

Step 5: For the tapioca gum, whisk the 2 ⅛ oz tapioca starch into 150 ml of the 2 cups water until smooth. Bring the remaining 350 ml water to the boil with a pinch of salt, lower the heat and pour in the starch mixture, whisking constantly. Cook for 2–3 minutes until it turns clear, thick and stretchy, like glue.

Step 6: Fish out the herbs and garlic from the tucupi, taste and add 1 tsp salt as needed. Keep it boiling hot.

Step 7: To serve, put 2–3 tablespoons of tapioca gum in each bowl. Ladle over the boiling tucupi, then add a pile of jambu and a few shrimp. Serve at once, very hot, and drink the broth from the bowl.