In a large saucepan, heat oil and saute onions, garlic, and hot peppers over medium heat 5 minutes. Add sausage and stir-fry for another 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, increasing water, if needed, to at least 2 inches above beans and meat. Bring to a boil. Cook over low heat 2-1/2 hours, or until meat and beans are well done. Add water if necessary (heat water before adding; cold water wil toughen the beans). Meantime, prepare rice (add a medium chopped onion and two cloves crushed garlic sauteed in butter) Peel and slice three medium oranges as garnish.

To serve: Remove meat and sausage. Slice and place on platters. Put beans in a bowl. Put rice in the center of a dinner plate, top with beans and juice, and add slices of meat and sausage. Garnish with orange slices.

the national dish of the country.

This complicated mixture of beans, salted meats, sausages, and

rice is considered by inhabitants the king of all food. However,

its preparation is so time consuming that the dish is hard to find

in restaurants.

A number of the ingredients, such as the preserved meat called

carne seca, are difficult if not impossible to find in the United

States, but these can be easily replaced. For this simplified

version of Brazilian feijoada... you should be able to find all

the ingredients in most large food outlets."