Instructions: Malagueta Sauces (Brazilian pepper sauces): Here are four sauces from the Brazilian cuisine based on the malagueta pepper. My reference (apart from Vermont and Tokyo).

Note 1: DENDE is the oil from the oil palm, elaesis guineensis. It has an unusual and powerful taste. Margarette Andrade says ".... it should be pointed out that it is necessary for the novice gourmet to acquire a taste for it. Once his palate has become used to this exotic flavour, he may be willing to go along with the Brazilian poets and also sing the praises of their vatapa, moqueca or other famous dishes using dende^." It is hard to find outside Brazil, where it is known as palm oil or red palm oil, except for some countries in Africa and S.E. Asia where it is produced and consumed also.

Note 2: Malagueta is a very hot c. frutescens. I know piri-piri is a good substitute, and tabasco may be as well, but from memory malagueta has a stronger, and maybe more bitter taste than piri-piri.

Dende is reputedly available from a Fijian shop in St Kilda (Melbourne, Australia). It just never seems to be in stock.

I have been told that in the US it can be found in shops which specialise in food products from Latin America, the Carribean or Africa (especially Nigerian shops in New York City). Some addresses in the US are: Las Americas, a Latin American grocery in the Ritchie Shopping Centre in Rockville, Maryland, a suburb of Washington DC. Also Rattos, a grocery store in downtown Oakland, California. (My US informant was Dalcio Dacol,

MOLHO DE ACARAJE (ACARAJE SAUCE): Served on Acaraje, patties of black eye bean dough deep fried in dende (I will post a recipe).

Pound first 5 ingredients together and mix thoroughly or put through blender. Heat in the dende for about 10 minutes.

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