[Video] Pastel: A Brazilian street snack with surprising Cantonese origins
As China’s influence in Latin America grows, more Chinese companies and individuals in search of new opportunities are moving halfway across the globe to this diverse region with huge markets. In Brazil, some Chinese immigrants have opened stalls selling pastel, a street snack that fuses Cantonese and Brazilian flavours. Lianhe Zaobao China news correspondent Lim Zhan Ting takes a closer look at the popular snack, which has provided countless Chinese immigrants with both a livelihood and a sense of belonging.
Pastel, which resembles Singapore’s curry puff or an empanada, is a fried rectangular pastry with savoury fillings, with a texture akin to that of a deep-fried dumpling. In Brazil, pastel is something of a national snack — many locals grab a pastel for a quick and satisfying treat on their way to work, during their lunch break, or after work.
In the coastal city of Rio de Janeiro, you will probably encounter Chinese faces when you enter any pastel shop in the city centre; eight or nine out of ten are likely to be from Guangdong, China.
62-year-old Wu Yanming, who has been running his pastel eatery for 25 years, told me proudly, “We Cantonese make the best pastel!” Wu arrived in Brazil back in 1997 to start his own business as he had family there, and he had heard that several fellow Cantonese immigrants made money from selling pastel.
The origins of pastel
The rise of pastel in Brazil can be traced to the 1940s and 50s. Though its origins are debated, one of the more popular origin stories attributes the creation of pastel to migrants from Taishan, Guangdong, who supposedly adapted their cuisine to suit local tastes.
Unlike the Cantonese jiaozai, which has a sweet peanut filling, Brazilian pastel is often filled with savoury fillings like meat. Even though its ingredients are simple — fillings like chicken, beef, or cheese are common — it grew popular in Brazil as the locals adore deep-fried food.
Many Chinese immigrants made their first earnings by selling pastels. Wu recalled that selling pastel was “so lucrative” in the 1990s. At that time, the flour needed to make 100 pastel pastries only cost three reais (the official currency of Brazil, around US$2.35 based on exchange rates then). Each pastel was sold for one real, so selling 100 pastries would bring in 100 reais.
At the peak of the snack’s popularity, more than 2,000 Cantonese were running pastel eateries in Rio.
The profitable business drew more Chinese far from their homes to Brazil. 38-year-old Zhu Jun has been running his pastel eatery in Brazil for 13 years, and he is from the Donglian Village in the Sanhe Town of Taishan City. Based on his estimate, a third of the 2,000 or so people in his village have moved to Brazil, most of whom had friends or family who were already there. There are even instances of entire families migrating over together.
At the peak of the snack’s popularity, more than 2,000 Cantonese were running pastel eateries in Rio. Despite this, the main consumers of pastel are still the locals. The Cantonese themselves seldom eat it, and some of them do not even know what it is.
Seven years ago, 40-year-old Liu Xueyin started a pastel eatery in Rio with her husband. “At that time, I asked my mum, how come I’ve never eaten this before back in Guangdong?” To Liu, pastel is special because it is a fusion of East and West, harmoniously blending Cantonese cooking style with Brazilian flavours. Today, it is one of the best-sellers in her restaurant, with daily sales reaching 2-300 pieces.
The snack enabled Chinese immigrants to interact with the locals and gradually ease into Brazilian society.
Cultural assimilation through selling pastel
The story of pastel is one of immigrant toil and wisdom. The snack enabled Chinese immigrants to interact with the locals and gradually ease into Brazilian society.
The outgoing Liu told me that running a food business gives her more opportunities to mingle with her customers. Seven years on, she has become good friends with many locals through their daily interactions. There is now no trace of a Chinese accent in her spoken Portuguese and some of her Brazilian friends jokingly call her a “fake Chinese”.
After she is done for the day, Liu distributes unsold pastels to the needy in the favelas before going home. She is completely at ease with visiting the favelas, and shared that “only foreigners who do not understand Brazilian culture or local ways of living would be afraid. Those living in the favelas are ordinary people too and are actually pure-hearted.”
Unlike the earlier batches of immigrants who toiled from early in the morning till late at night, Liu self-deprecatingly said that she has a more relaxed approach to work. “I close shop punctually at six in the evening instead of staying open until later just to sell a few leftover pastries.”
Pastel still popular but Cantonese migrants are pivoting to other industries
As the Chinese migrants in Brazil venture into other fields, running a pastel eatery is no longer their preferred way of making a living. Zhu Jun noted that in the last few years, some Cantonese have opted to return to China after closing their pastel businesses.
The primary reason is that selling pastel is not as profitable compared to the past. Wu Mingyan shared that the price of flour is eight times the price it was two decades ago, but the selling price of pastel has not increased accordingly, so those in the business have to rely on quick turnovers but small profits.
Even though fewer Cantonese are selling pastel these days, pastel remains a staple in Brazilian food culture, and many locals have started running their own pastel shops.
This does not mean that Brazilians love pastel any less. In fact, at the three shops I visited, there was a steady stream of customers from morning to night. One of them, Lucas Kron, had this to say about the allure of pastel, “It is tasty, fast, and cheap. In Brazil, it’s like a religion. Especially the ones filled with frango (chicken) and catupiry (a type of Brazilian cream cheese), they are fantastic.”
Even though fewer Cantonese are selling pastel these days, pastel remains a staple in Brazilian food culture, and many locals have started running their own pastel shops. To some locals, the snack is the quintessential Chinese delicacy.
As for the Cantonese who choose to continue selling pastel, they have found additional motivation beyond just making a living. Liu Xueyin said, “Our ancestors were born into this industry. We should also have our own ideas, inheriting their unique characteristics… Our generation needs to promote Chinese culinary culture well, so that Brazilians can see its distinctiveness.”
This article was originally published in Lianhe Zaobao as “巴西独有的“广东美味” 平凡角仔蕴藏移民智慧”.
