Brazilian Moqueca! Technically Moqueca Baiana from the Bahia region in Brazil where this seafood stew has elements of African influence (the addition of palm oil).
Literally the most delicious stew I have made in a while. If you are a shrimp lover try this out. Moqueca is a coconut based stew with seafood though this version is shrimp only. Firm white fish are very popular in Moqueca recipes. Please have a go at it! I served it on a bed of steamy white rice!
This dish is the result of indigenous, African, and Portuguese influences! I was so excited when I noticed the inclusion of Dende oil/ Palm oil in this dish because I have not seen it in any other cuisine apart from West African food. I added the palm oil at the end which I saw in some recipes but you can cook with it from the get go when sautéing the onions.
Salmon Moqueca
Ingredients
Salmon
- juice from 1 lime
- 3 medium salmon fillets, cut in half (skin on or off)
- 1 cup peeled deveiend shrimp
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Stew
- 2 tablespoons Dende oil / palm oil optional but used traditionally
- 1 small white or spanish onion diced
- 1 large white or spanish onion sliced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper sliced
- 1 hot chili pepper finely chopped (optional)
- 4 medium tomatoes sliced
- Salt as needed
- 1 cup stock or water or as needed
- 2 cans coconut milk
- 1/3 cup cilantro chopped
Farofa (cassava flour)
- tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¼ onion finely diced
- 1 ½ cups cassava flour, farofa
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon diced parsley
To Serve
- 3 cups boiled white rice
Instructions
- Season your salmon and shrimp (if using) with salt and pepper and set aside
- In a pot (crock pot with medium-heavy bottom), add your dende/pal oil and your diced onions and sautee for 4 minutes until translucent.
- Add your minced garlic and hot pepper and sauté for an additional 2 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
- Turn down your heat on low and layer your sliced veggies. Starting with onions, tomatoes, and sliced peppers, reserving a few tomatoes for the very top layer.
- Add two cans of coconut milk and chicken stalk and bring to simmer on low. Season your coconut milk with salt to taste.
- In the mean time, squeeze juice from one lime over your salmon filets.
- Once your coconut milk is simmering, add your salmon fillet on top, they should be partially or fully submerged. Cover your pot and let your fish steam for about 10 minutes until fully cooked.
- Add chopped cilantro to your pot, if adding shrimp add it here and cover for 5 minutes while your shrimp fully cooks.
- Serve with white rice and Farofa .
Farofa
- In a frying pan or small pot, add butter and vegetable oil in a pan and add diced onion and sautee for 5 minutes until translucent.
- Add your minced garlic and sautee for 1 minutes.
- Add your cassava flour (farofa) and season with salt to taste.
- Toast on low, stirring frequently so it does not burn.
- When your farofa is golden in colour and begins to darken but not burn, add in your chopped parsley and mix well. Remove from heat and serve with Moqueca and white rice.
I am so glad I was scrolling and saw your post on IG. I immediately asked my daughter to take out the salmon. I have all of these ingredients in my fridge and pantry and will be making this tonight for dinner! We love food around here especially new dishes. Thank you.