Moqueca de Camarão (Brazilian Coconut Shrimp Stew)

Photo: BR · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

A Bahian-style stew of shrimp simmered in coconut milk with tomatoes, peppers and lime, finished with lots of cilantro: colorful, gently spicy and on the table in under an hour.

Ingredients

• 1½ lb large shrimp, peeled
• 2 limes
• 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 bell peppers (red and yellow), sliced
• 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeño, sliced
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 1½ cups rice

From your pantry: 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp sweet paprika, 1 cup water, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper.

Instructions

1. Toss the shrimp with the juice of 1 lime, half the salt and the pepper and keep in the fridge. Start the rice.
2. Heat the oil in a wide pot over medium-low. Cook the onion and peppers until soft, about 6 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes, garlic, jalapeño, paprika and remaining salt and cook until the tomatoes slump, 3 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk and water and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the green onions and half the cilantro, then add the shrimp and their juices. Cover and simmer gently until the shrimp are just pink and curled, 4 to 5 minutes.
5. Squeeze in the second lime, taste for salt, and scatter with the rest of the cilantro. Serve in bowls over rice.

Tip: The traditional finish is a few spoonfuls of dendê (red palm oil), which gives moqueca its orange color and nutty flavor; look for it in Brazilian or African markets. Firm white fish chunks work well in place of half the shrimp.

Nutrition per serving

Adapted from Camila Made.

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