Tucupi Recipe Calculator

Tucupi: the Amazonian yellow broth

Tucupi is a bright-yellow broth pressed from grated mandioca-brava (bitter cassava, Manihot esculenta). The raw liquid contains hydrocyanic acid (HCN), so it has to be detoxified by resting, fermenting and a long boil. A typical batch goes grate → press → rest 24h → boil 20–40min before it is safe to drink. The starch that settles at the bottom is drawn off as tapioca, and what stays on top is the tucupi.

This calculator scales a traditional ribeirinha recipe by the number of people. Most of the production sits in the states of Pará and Amazonas, and the island of Marajó is currently under study for a Geographical Indication (IGP) protected origin label, much like what already happened for cheeses in Minas Gerais.

Applications

Tucupi is the base broth behind two flagship dishes of Pará cuisine: tacacá (street-food soup served in a gourd) and pato no tucupi (duck stewed in tucupi, central to the Círio de Nazaré festival). It also seasons rice, fish stews and modern gastronomy plates from chefs in Belém, São Paulo and abroad.

FAQ

Is tucupi dangerous to drink raw? Yes. Raw tucupi contains hydrocyanic acid (HCN), so it needs at least 20–40 minutes of boiling to drive off the cyanide compounds before you can consume it.

How long does tucupi keep? Boiled and kept in the fridge, 5–7 days; frozen, up to 6 months. Plenty of cooks re-boil it every day to stretch the shelf life.

Can I buy tucupi outside Brazil? Bottled tucupi turns up in Brazilian markets across the US, Portugal and Japan, though you'll rarely find it fresh. Frozen or pasteurised versions are the norm.