Moqueca Baiana (Bahian Seafood Stew)

Name: Moqueca Baiana (Bahian Seafood Stew)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 min
Yield: 4-6 people
Ingredients: 800 g to 1 kg, chunked White fish (snapper, cod, halibut, sea bass); 300 g to 500g, peeled and deveined Large shrimp; 3 to 4 limes, about 180-240 ml Fresh lime juice; 4 to 5, minced Garlic cloves; 3 sliced Onions; 1 sliced Red bell pepper; 1 sliced Yellow bell pepper; 3 to 4, sliced or chopped Tomatoes; 1 to 2 (malagueta or similar), sliced Fresh chili peppers; 1 to 2 cups, chopped Fresh cilantro; 300 to 400 ml Coconut milk (full-fat); 0.25 to 0.5 cup (60-120 ml) Dendê (red palm) oil; 2 to 3 Tbsp Olive oil; 0.5 cup (optional, for looser stew) Fish or vegetable stock; 0.5 to 1 tsp (optional) Ground cumin; 0.5 to 1 tsp (optional) Paprika; 1 to taste Salt; 1 to taste Black pepper

Servings: 4-6 people

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

800 g to 1 kg, chunked White fish (snapper, cod, halibut, sea bass)
300 g to 500g, peeled and deveined Large shrimp
3 to 4 limes, about 180-240 ml Fresh lime juice
4 to 5, minced Garlic cloves
3 sliced Onions
1 sliced Red bell pepper
1 sliced Yellow bell pepper
3 to 4, sliced or chopped Tomatoes
1 to 2 (malagueta or similar), sliced Fresh chili peppers
1 to 2 cups, chopped Fresh cilantro
300 to 400 ml Coconut milk (full-fat)
0.25 to 0.5 cup (60-120 ml) Dendê (red palm) oil
2 to 3 Tbsp Olive oil
0.5 cup (optional, for looser stew) Fish or vegetable stock
0.5 to 1 tsp (optional) Ground cumin
0.5 to 1 tsp (optional) Paprika
1 to taste Salt
1 to taste Black pepper

Instructions

Combine lime juice, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and handful of cilantro in bowl
Toss fish chunks in marinade, cover, and refrigerate 30 minutes
Season shrimp separately with salt, pepper, and small squeeze of lime; do not marinate long
Slice onions, peppers, tomatoes, and chili peppers; chop fresh cilantro
In wide clay or heavy pot, drizzle olive oil and 1 spoonful of dendê oil
Build layers in pot: start with some onion and tomato, then peppers, chili, cilantro, then marinated fish
Repeat layers finishing with vegetables and cilantro on top
Pour remaining marinade over everything
Put pot over medium heat, drizzle remaining oils on top, and cook 10-15 minutes until simmering
Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook gently 15-20 minutes, spooning sauce over fish occasionally (do not stir vigorously)
Pour in coconut milk, taste for salt and heat level, simmer 2-5 minutes more
If using shrimp, add with coconut milk and cook only 3-5 minutes until pink and opaque
Finish with remaining dendê oil and big handful of fresh cilantro off the heat
Serve hot with white rice and optional farofa (toasted cassava flour) on the side; offer lime wedges and extra cilantro at table