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{{Short description|Afro-Brazilian dish}}
{{Infobox food
| name             = Vatapá
| image            = Vatapá.jpg
| image_size       = 250px
| caption          = 
| alternate_name   = 
| country          = [[Brazil]]
| region           = 
| creator          = 
| course           = 
| type             = 
| served           = 
| main_ingredient  = [[Bread]], [[Shrimp and prawn as food|shrimp]], [[coconut milk]], [[peanut]]s, [[palm oil]]
| variations       = 
| calories         = 
| other            = 
}}

'''Vatapá''' ([[Yoruba language|Yoruba]]: vata'pa, {{IPA|pt|vɐtɐˈpa|}}) is an [[Afro-Brazilian]] dish made from [[bread]], [[Shrimp and prawn as food|shrimp]], [[coconut milk]], finely ground [[peanut]]s and [[palm oil]] mashed into a creamy paste. It is a typical food of [[Salvador, Bahia]] and it is also common to the [[North Region, Brazil|North]] and [[Northeast Region, Brazil|Northeast]] regions of Brazil. In the northeastern state of [[Bahia]] it is commonly eaten with ''[[acarajé]]'', and as a ritual offering in [[Candomblé]], with [[acaçá]] or acarajé. Vatapá is often eaten with [[white rice]] in other regions of Brazil. The shrimp can be replaced with other ingredients.

==Etymology==
"Vatapá" is probably derived from the term [[Yoruba language|Yoruba]] ''vata'pa''.<ref>CUNHA, A. G. ''Dicionário etimológico Nova Fronteira da língua portuguesa''. Rio de Janeiro. Nova Fronteira. p. 812.</ref>

==Origin==

Vatapá is of [[Africa]]n origin and arrived in Brazil through the [[Yoruba people]] with the name of  ''ehba-tápa''.

It is a typical dish of the northeastern cuisine and very traditional in the state of [[Bahia]], where ''dendê'' (unrefined red [[palm oil]]) is a key ingredient and the dish is frequently served with ''[[caruru (food)|caruru]]''.

==In popular culture==
The 1957 song "Vatapá" by Brazilian songwriter [[Dorival Caymmi]] is named for the dish.  The lyrics contain the recipe for the dish, listing the key ingredients and providing basic instructions for its preparation. The song was later covered by [[Gal Costa]], appearing on her tribute album of Caymmi's songs, ''Gal Canta Caymmi'' (1976).

Vatapá is also mentioned in the 1941 song "[[Você Já Foi à Bahia?]]" (English: "Have You Been to Bahia?"), written by Dorival Caymmi, where it is named, alongside caruru and [[munguzá]], as a specialty of Bahia. A partially-translated version of this song appeared in the 1944 live-action and animated film [[The Three Caballeros]], produced by [[Walt Disney]], in which it is sung by [[José Carioca]] in an attempt to convince [[Donald Duck]] to visit Bahia.

== See also ==
{{portal|Food}}
*[[Matapa]]
*[[Açorda]]
*[[List of Brazilian dishes]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{shrimps and prawns as food|state=expanded}}
{{seafood}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vatapa}}
[[Category:Brazilian cuisine]]
[[Category:Cuisine of the North region of Brazil]]
[[Category:Cuisine of the Northeast region of Brazil]]


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