If you are here, it is because you are craving a fail-proof recipe for this absolutely flavorful and umami-packed seafood stew called Moqueca. It is certainly one dish that stands out for its unique flavors and vibrant appearance.
Moqueca prides itself on being one of the fore leading seafood dishes amongst Brazilians, Angolans, and anyone seeking a taste of Brazil’s rich culinary heritage, so much so that it was featured in the hit Netflix TV series, Street Food.
What is Moqueca?
Moqueca is a traditional dish that hails from the coastal regions of Brazil, the states of Bahia and Espirito Santo to be precise. It is a stew packed full with mouthwatering seafood, vegetables, all cooked in a rich infusion of coconut milk and palm oil.
It is traditionally cooked in a clay pot called panela de barro which amplifies its flavour and helps retain its heat. The Angolan version is known as Moqueca de Peixe.
You should also try Ethiopia’s Doro Wat or the popular West African Red Stew
Ingredients for Moqueca
Aromatics
We keep it simple with some chopped onions and garlic. These are sauteed until fragrant in the heated palm oil.
Peppers
We use a combination of diced red bell peppers and chopped chilis for some heat. The peppers go in after the fried aromatics and begin to release their juices into the stew.
Tomatoes & Tomato paste
The tomatoes are diced up into chunky sizes and a tablespoon of tomato paste is added to add color and some thickness to the sauce.
Seafood
This dish uses an assortment of seafood- fish, shellfish, shrimp, cod etc. For today’s recipe, I used fresh tiger shrimp, and filleted tilapia which I cut up into small cubed sizes. The seafood is marinated with some salt, black pepper and a generous squeeze of lime juice.
Palm Oil
The addition of palm oil is a big pointer to why this stew is unique. Asides the rich golden color it gives, the palm oil-coconut milk infusion produces a very uncommon earthy and sweet flavor.
Coconut milk
Good quality coconut milk please! It forms the body of this stew and loosens it up as well.
Lime wedges & Cilantro (for garnishing)
This is completely optional. A squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro just before you dive in models how traditional Moqueca is eaten.
Because of just how loaded this stew is, it can be eaten alone or served warm with a simple side of white rice. Some other variations of the Moqueca introduce plantains or roasted okra. It is such a hearty dish, I would advise using your favorite seafoods to make it a most memorable experience. At the end, the consistency should be mildly runny.
I think you will also like some of these recipes:
- How to Make Authentic Birria Tacos (Beef Birria Tacos)
- How to Make Chicken Chili
- How to Make THE AUTHENTIC FILIPINO ADOBO (Chicken Adobo)
Moqueca Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Large skillet
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs tiger shrimp deveined
- 3 filleted tilapia cut up in cubes
- 1 white onion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper diced
- 4 roma tomatoes cut up
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 chilis chopped (optional)
- 1/3 cup palm oil
- 1 400ml can of coconut milk
- salt to taste
- black pepper
- 1 tbsp paprika
- shrimp bouillon or 1/2 cup fish broth optional
For garnish
- lime juice
- fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- In bowl, marinate the clean fish and shrimp with a squeeze of lemon juice, some salt and black pepper.
- Heat up the palm oil in a large skillet.
- Toss in the chopped onion and garlic, fry for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Go in with the red bell peppers, tomatoes, tomato paste and chilis. Cover and let this cook for 7 minutes.
- Season with salt, bouillon, paprika and black pepper. Keep frying for another 3 minutes. If you have fish broth, add it in here and let it reduce for a few minutes before you move on to the next step.
- Pour in the coconut milk and let it cook slowly on medium heat for 15 minutes until it starts to thicken nicely.
- Add in the marinated fish and shrimp, let this cook in the coconut sauce for 5-7 mins.
- Garnish with some chopped cilantro and if you like a little more tanginess, fresh lemon juice.
