Brazilian moqueca
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- Easy
- Serves 4
Ingredients
- 50g unsalted butter
- 250g onions (about 2), sliced
- 250g red peppers (about 2), thickly sliced
- 1 green pepper, thickly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 400ml fish stock
- 400g tin coconut milk
- 500g white fish (such as cod, haddock or coley)
- 250g king prawns
- a small bunch coriander, torn
- 1 lime, juiced
- cooked rice, to serve
- 8tbsp cassava flour, toasted in a dry pan (optional)
SPICE PASTE
- 250g tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 80g ginger, chopped
- 4 Malagueta or bird’s-eye chillies
- 80ml dende oil
Method
- STEP 1
Melt the butter in a pan over a high heat and cook the onions and peppers for 5 minutes until softening and slightly caramelised. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- STEP 2
Make the paste by whizzing all the ingredients in a food processor or high-powered blender to a smooth paste.
- STEP 3
Turn down the heat to low, tip in the paste and cook for 10 minutes until thickened and slightly darkened, then pour in the stock and coconut milk.
- STEP 4
Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 15 minutes. Add the fish and prawns, and continue gently simmering for 6-7 minutes or until cooked through.
- STEP 5
Stir in the coriander and lime juice, and season. Serve with rice and the toasted cassava flour on top for texture (known as farofa in Brazil).