Moqueca ~ Brazilian Seafood Stew
This Brazilian dish may contain a few unexpected or even unfamiliar ingredients, but they are easy to find online and worth the search.
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Ingredients
- 1 lb tilapia fillets thawed and pat dry
- 1 lb extra large shrimp deveined, shell and tail-off
- 3 tsp salt
- black pepper to taste
- ½ tsp cumin
- 2 tsp vegetable oil
- 1 large white or yellow onion chopped
- 1 med red bell pepper de-seeded and sliced (reserve a couple of slices)
- 1 med green bell pepper de-seeded and sliced (reserve a couple of slices)
- 1 med yellow bell pepper de-seeded and sliced (reserve a couple of slices)
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 large large tomatoes sliced (reserve a couple of slices)
- 2 cups coconut cream or a thick coconut milk
- ½ cup vegetable or fish broth
- 1 tbsp red palm oil or olive oil
- 1 tsp malagueta pepper or Thai clili peper or a few drops of hot sauce
- 1½ lime juiced
- 2 tbsp cilantro or parsley chopped
Instructions
- Season both the fish fillets and the shrimp with 2 tsp salt, pepper to taste, and cumin.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet or a no-stick saucepan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and sauté the onion and bell pepper for about 3 minutes. Then, sauté the garlic and tomatoes for about 2 minutes.
- Transfer cooked veggies to a blender and add coconut milk, broth, and 1 tsp salt. Blend until smooth. Set aside! Using the same pan, add 1 more tablespoon of oil if needed, and cook fish fillets for about 2-3 minutes.
- Flip fish. Pour blended mixture over the fish fillets and stir in palm oil and the malagueta pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let cook for about 2 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and the reserved slices of bell peppers and tomatoes and let cook over medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the lime juice and then the cilantro. Serve warm with white rice and farofa. Enjoy!
Notes
SUBSTITUTIONS: Instead of palm oil, use a mixture of olive oil with annatto or achiote (in the Latin or spice aisle of most supermarkets), or turmeric.
Replace malagueta pepper with Thai chili or a few drops of hot sauce.
Give preference to white flesh fish such as tilapia, cod, bass, grouper, haddock, catfish, or snapper -- which are affordable, mildly flavored, and cook quickly.
Nutrition
Calories: 725kcal
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