Xarém or xerém is a thick soup or porridge from
Algarve
The Algarve (, , ) is the southernmost NUTS statistical regions of Portugal, NUTS II region of continental Portugal. It has an area of with 467,495 permanent inhabitants and incorporates 16 municipalities (concelho, ''concelhos'' or ''município ...
,
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
that is eaten in
Cape Verde
Cape Verde or Cabo Verde, officially the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an island country and archipelagic state of West Africa in the central Atlantic Ocean, consisting of ten volcanic islands with a combined land area of about . These islands ...
and
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
as well. It has a corn flour base combined with other traditional ingredients which vary by region. The dish is prepared using
corn meal, clams or sardines, and grilled meats.
[Xarém recipe](_blank)
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Etymology
The words "xerém" and "xarém" have no known etymological origin, though there are two hypotheses for the origin of the words:
*"xerém" and "xarém" from the Arabic
Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
word "zerem" meaning "grain potatoes."
*"xerém" could be derived from a Yoruba word, ''xe'ree'', meaning a rattle used in Orisha
Orishas (singular: orisha) are divine spirits that play a key role in the Yoruba religion of West Africa and several religions of the African diaspora that derive from it, such as Haitian Vaudou, Cuban Santería and Brazilian Candomblé. The p ...
Shango
Shango (Yoruba language: Ṣàngó, also known as Changó or Xangô in Latin America; as Jakuta or Badé; and as Ṣangó in Trinidad Orisha) is an Orisha (or spirit) in Yoruba religion. Genealogically speaking, Shango is a royal ancestor of th ...
.
Brazil
It is a traditional dish in the Northeast Region of Brazil, especially in Pernambuco
Pernambuco ( , , ) is a States of Brazil, state of Brazil located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.5 million people as of 2024, it is the List of Brazilian states by population, ...
. The Brazilian dish contains coarsely ground corn kernels, and it is similar to polenta.
It is also popular in Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais () is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil, being the fourth largest state by area and the second largest in number of inhabitants with a population of 20,539,989 according to the 2022 Brazilian census, 2022 census. Located in ...
, where it is not called "xerém" but " little hominy ". The name is given to both the raw broken corn, and the cooked dishes made with it. Traditionally, the Mineira hominy is cooked with pork ribs, sometimes with pork cuts with chicken, beef, or sausage added.
Cape Verde
In Cape Verde, xarém is considered a traditional dish. It contains corn grain mixed with water, laurel, butter, and salt. It can also be prepared with fresh tuna, coconut milk, onions, and gindungo peppers. Xerém de festa is prepared with fat, pork meat, and onions, or in other cases, with beans, bay leaf, peppers and tomatoes. It is often used for wedding parties.
On the island of Brava, a drum festival is celebrated in the month of June when the xarem dish is eaten and prepared as people dance to the coladeira
The ''coladeira'' ( ; , ) is a music genre from Cape Verde.
It is characterized by a variable tempo, a 2-beat bar, and (in its most traditional form) a harmonic structure based in a cycle of fifths. The lyrics structure is organized in strophes ...
s.
Portugal
In Portugal, xarém is a traditional dish in the southern Algarve region
The Algarve (, , ) is the southernmost NUTS II region of continental Portugal. It has an area of with 467,495 permanent inhabitants and incorporates 16 municipalities ( ''concelhos'' or ''municípios'' in Portuguese).
The region has its admin ...
, and is quite common in the city of Olhão
Olhão (), officially known as Olhão da Restauração, is a city and concelho, municipality in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. The population of the municipality in 2011 was 45,396, in an area of . Located near the regional capital Faro, ...
. In that city, the dish is prepared using clams, bacon, and ham.
See also
* List of Portuguese dishes
This is a list of Portuguese dishes and foods. Despite being relatively restricted to an Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic sustenance, Portuguese cuisine has many Mediterranean cuisine, Mediterranean influences. Portuguese cuisine is famous for seafood. ...
* List of soups
This is a list of notable soups. Soups have been made since ancient times.
Some soups are served with large chunks of meat or vegetables left in the liquid, while others are served as a broth. A broth is a flavored liquid usually derived from ...
* Portuguese cuisine
Portuguese cuisine () consists of the traditions and practices of cooking in Portugal. The oldest known book on Portuguese cuisine, entitled ''Livro de Cozinha da Infanta D. Maria de Portugal'', from the 16th century, describes many popular dish ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Xarém
Brazilian cuisine
Cape Verdean cuisine
Portuguese cuisine
Maize dishes
Porridges
Cuisine of Pernambuco
Cuisine of Minas Gerais