Moqueca de Camarão - Prawns Stew Bahia Style
Ingredients
1 kg Medium Prawns Clean
1 Large RED Capsicum
1 Large GREEN Capsicum
1 Large YELLOW Capsicum
1 Large RED ONION
2 Tomatoes
1 ½ BULB of Garlic chopped or minced
1 Large Lime or Lemon
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 tablespoon Sea Salt, (optional)
1 tablespoon Dried shrimp or Shrimp paste.
140 grams Tomato Paste
100 milliliters DENDÊ Oil* (Orange Palm Oil), *See Notes
100 milliliters Olive Oil
400 milliliters Coconut Cream (NOT Milk), 1 CAN
2 Bunches Coriander with roots FRESH, Thicker roots are better
Red chillies, (optional) To Your Taste
Servings: 6
Source: Beto Boton
Method
1. Marinade Prawns
Squeeze the lime/lemon on prawns.
Add 1/3 of the minced garlic
Add black pepper.
Stems and roots of coriander minced or finely chopped
Hand mix it gently and leave it resting for an hour in the fridge.
2. Slice and Chop
Chop(or slicer) Onion and Capsicum, I prefer to do this on the slicer from my food processor that gives me a very uniform slice without destroying the texture of the capsicum or onion and set aside. (as shown)
Chop roughly Coriander leaves and slice your Chillies, set aside.
3. Cooking Time !
On a large pot put All Olive Oil and HALF Palm Oil (Dendê).
Add all minced garlic left and Sauté until very soft not browned, use lower temperature if it starts to caramelise.
Personally, I add my chillies WITH the onion ad garlic so it gives me a good overall heat and punch to the dish. (I love chillies)
4. The other ingredients
Add chopped Tomatoes.
Add Tomato paste.
Add Dried Shrimp
Add Salt (you can totally omit the use of salt since dried shrimp is salty)
Mix well.
Add all Capsicum and stir to mix well and release it's juices. Do not let the Capsicum collapses and/or dissolve, it has to continue to be a bit firm.
5. Prawns
Add all Dendê Oil left
Immediately add your Prawns and gently turn all the mixture together with care not to brake the Prawns
Prawn will cook very quickly, please be careful not to overcook them.
6. TIP
I usually pay attention to the cut used to devein the prawn to check if it is cooked there, then it is OK since it will continue to cook in the mixture.
7. Final Touches
Add Coconut milk and stir it gently.
As soon as it come back to boiling point, turn off the gas.
Add chopped Coriander leaves and it is ready to serve.
8. The End Result
Serve with white Rice.
Enjoy it.
NOTE: DENDÊ Oil
It is an Orange colour Palm Oil available on Asian, African and Brazilian food stores.
Nothing really “replaces” Dendê oil, but in case you can’t find it I suggest the following mixture:
2 Tablespoons of Turmeric
1 Teaspoon of Paprika sweet
1 Teaspoon of Imitation Saffron
All mixed on a 100 Ml of Olive Oil.
IF you are in AUSTRALIA you can buy it from here:
