Caruru
/kəˈruːruː/noun
A Brazilian dish traditionally made with okra, shrimp, ground nuts, and seasonings, especially associated with Bahia.
Did you know?Caruru is strongly associated with Candomblé celebrations, especially feasts honoring the orixá Ibeji, where the dish is served in ritual and communal settings.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-colonial Brazil
Tupi
karuru
“A name for an edible leafy plant, commonly identified with amaranth or related greens.”
16th–17th Century
Brazilian Portuguese
caruru
“The Indigenous plant name adopted into Portuguese in Brazil.”
Colonial Brazil
Portuguese
caruru
“A dish made from local greens and later associated with okra, seafood, nuts, and African-Brazilian cooking traditions.”
19th–20th Century
Brazilian Portuguese
caruru
“A regional Bahian dish and a food connected with Afro-Brazilian religious celebrations.”
Modern English
English
caruru
“A Brazilian culinary loanword referring chiefly to the Bahian okra-based dish.”