Pantanal Escapes

This video (made by Brazil's Brahma beer company) shows a simple BBQ fish marinade. The fish being used are Pintado catfish steaks, typical of the Pantanal region - but other fish can be substituted. The recipe consists of several sauces, white vinegar, garlic, salt, and annatto spice which are combined together in a blender. Annatto powder (which is made by grinding annatto seeds, native to Brazil) is known locally as colorau or urucum. It's a great cooking spice, which is extensively used in Brazilian and Mexican cuisine, and which has also been used for centuries by Brazil's Indians as a red body paint.

The marinade is applied to the fish prior to barbecue - with the annatto giving the fish an appetising deep red colour. It's quick, easy, and goes well with the beer.

Ingredient	Quantity
Pintado steaks or fillet	1.5 kg
Tomato Sauce	200 ml
Hot salsa or pepper sauce	1 teaspoon (or vary to taste)
Annatto (urucum) spice	2 tsp
Salt	2 tsp
Minced Garlic	1 tbsp
white vinegar	1/2 cup

This generally takes about 15 minutes on the barbecue. As a guide, estimate about four minutes for each centimetre of the steak thickness. Flip the steaks in the middle of cooking to ensure each side is equally cooked.