Simple Farofa

When farinha de mandioca (manioc flour) is toasted, it is called farofa. Farofa accompanies all Brazilian dishes, and the taste and texture are similar to that of very fine bread crumbs. In the south of Brazil the manioc flour is warmed in a pan with butter or olive oil or sometimes just heated plain. In the north, particularly in Bahia, it is always toasted with dendê oil, and in Minas Gerais and the northeast (the states bordering the Amazon) it is usually toasted without any oils or fat.