because the portuguese were there for nearly 500 years, they greatly impacted the cuisine of mozambique. crops such as cassava (a starchy root) and cashew nuts (mozambique was once the largest producer of these nuts), and "pãozinho" were brought in by the portuguese. the use of spices and seasonings such as onions, bay leaves, garlic, fresh coriander, paprika, chili peppers, red sweet peppers, and wine were introduced by the portuguese. so was sugarcane, maize, millet, rice, sorghum (a type of grass), and potatoes. "prego" (steak roll), "rissois" (battered shrimp), "espetada" (kebab), "pudim" (pudding), and the popular "inteiro com piripiri" (whole chicken in piri-piri sauce) are all portuguese dishes commonly eaten in present-day mozambique.