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Authentic Moqueca Baiana Recipe
Bahia, Brazil
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We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
Originating from the northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia, moqueca baiana is a fusion dish, a result of European, African, and Indigenous influences. It is traditionally prepared in a clay pot and made with white fish, shrimp, dendê palm oil, coconut milk, peppers, onions, tomatoes, lime juice, garlic, and cilantro. Different preparation methods exist, but almost all start with marinating the fish. The vegetables can either be sautéed before the fish is added or arranged in the pot with the fish, and the two are then cooked together from the start. The coconut milk is generally added near the end of cooking, as are shrimps since they cook pretty fast. The finished stew is typically served with rice and farofa.
Pair with
Serve With
Cooking tips
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what kind of fish to use
To withstand the simmering, white, firm-fleshed fish is used. Traditionally, it is prepared with these kinds of fish — cação (sandbark shark), robalo (common snook), badejo (black grouper/black rockfish), pintado (pintado/kingfish/painted mackerel/cero mackerel), dourado, namorado (Namorado sandperch), filhote (dark caped goliath catfish/Peru piraiba catfish/false piraiba), dentão (lane snapper/Mexican ... Read more -
how to scale a fish
First, rinse the fish under running water, then place it in a bucket and leave it sitting there with water running to help loosen the scales. Meanwhile, cover your working surface with something protective that will catch the flying scales, and that will not be a problem to throw away later, such as newspapers or a plastic bag or parchment paper. Next, place the fish on the covered working surface,... Read more -
how to gut a fish
Place the fish on a working surface. Find the anal opening — it’s usually located in front of the anal fin, which is a single fin located at the underside of the fish, next to the tail. Pierce the opening with the tip of the knife. Slice up along the belly, stopping once you reach the head. Make sure not to pierce the fish deep. Keep it shallow so you do not cut into the intestines. Spread open the ... Read more -
how to fillet a fish
To fillet a fish, you will need to have a fillet knife, which has a point up at the end, is bendable, and can easily go around the bones. Alternatively, filleting a fish might be doable with a boning knife. In any case, the key is to use one that has a blade that points up at the end instead of down, is thin, and is bendable. Lay the palm of your hand flat on the fish to hold it in place (but do not ... Read more -
cleaning the shrimp
To remove the shells, place your thumbs on the shrimp’s underbelly, crack it open, and then peel. You can also use kitchen shears and cut the shell on the top and then peel it. Also, you can use a pairing knife to cut along the back of the shell. Then, you also have to devein the shrimp. Look for the thin string along the back of the shrimp, then cut under it, and pull it out with a knife or your ... Read more -
dendê oil
Dendê oil is the main flavoring agent, along with coconut milk. It can be found in specialized shops selling Brazilian or African cooking ingredients. And although there is no proper substitute for dendê oil, annatto or peanut oil can be used if needed. -
method
The fish can be cut into fillet or slices, and some fry it beforehand to make it firmer, so it’s doesn’t fall apart during cooking. Also, the fish is marinated before cooking, typically in lime juice, salt, and pepper, but other ingredients can be used in the marinade, such as herbs and tomatoes, to make a paste to rub into the fish. The stew should not be stirred during cooking, so the fish doesn’... Read more -
equipment
Traditionally, moqueca is cooked in a clay pot called panela de barro, which transfers heat well and cooks the stew evenly. Iron and aluminum pots can be used as an alternative. -
serving
Ideally, moqueca should be served in the clay pot it was cooked in. Apart from making it visually attractive, serving moqueca in a clay pot will ensure that the stew remains warm during the entire meal. It's usually served with rice and farofa.
Moqueca Baiana
PREP 35min
COOK 40min
RESTING 30min
READY IN 1h 45min
This recipe gives instructions on how to prepare a traditional moqueca Baiana, which has white fish, shrimp, dendê palm oil, and coconut milk as its main ingredients. If you need instructions on how to clean and fillet a fish, check out the cooking tips.
Ingredients
4.4 lbs (2 kg) fish (look for suggestions in the cooking tips!), cleaned and cut into pieces
2.2 lbs (1 kg) shrimp, raw, peeled & deveined
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
3 onions
30g (2 cups) cilantro leaves
3 cloves garlic
3 tomatoes
3 limes, juice
120 ml (½ cup) olive oil
120 ml (½ cup) red palm oil (dendê oil)
1 ¼ cup (300 ml) coconut milk
salt, to taste
red chili pepper, fresh, to taste
Preparation
Step 1/7
To a food processor or a blender, add 3 garlic cloves, half of the cilantro (chopped), 1 tomato (chopped), 1 onion (chopped), and the juice of 3 limes. Then, season with salt to taste and whizz until the ingredients become a purée.
Step 2/7
Transfer the puréed ingredients into a large container, add the fish, and coat the fish in the mixture thoroughly. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for half an hour.
Step 3/7
Cut the bell peppers, the onions, and the tomatoes into round slices. Remove the seeds from the chili pepper and finely chop.
Step 4/7
Arrange the fish pieces in a clay pot and top with the mixture they’ve been marinating in. Then, arrange the tomato, onion, and bell pepper slices on top of the fish in layers. Sprinkle chili pepper over the whole thing.
Step 5/7
Place the pot over medium heat. Pour olive oil and palm oil over the ingredients in the pot. Cook for about 15 minutes until boiling. Then, cover with a lid, lower the temperature to medium and cook at a simmer for 20 minutes. During cooking, baste the ingredients with the sauce they are cooking in, and do not stir the stew, but shake it from time to time, or you run the risk of the fish falling apart.
Step 6/7
Pour over with the coconut milk and cook for two minutes. Next, add the shrimp and cook for five more minutes. Finally, sprinkle with the remaining cilantro.
Step 7/7
Serve hot.
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