Brazilian Fish Stew (Moqueca) by Chef Rafael Cagali
This delicious fish stew recipe is inspired by Moqueca, a traditional Brazilian dish, and was created by two-starred Michelin Chef Rafael Cagali of Da Terra in London. While the dish served at the Michelin-starred restaurant is more refined, this version has been adapted to be simpler and more approachable for home cooks, while still capturing the vibrant flavors of the original.
Ingredients
For the spice paste:
- 6 g black peppercorns
- 6 g ground turmeric
- 60 g fresh ginger
- 6 g coriander seeds
- 4 fresh chilies
- 20 g dried shrimp
- a small amount of oil for blending
For the stew:
- 50 g butter
- 20 g garlic finely chopped
- 500 g onion sliced
- 500 g red pepper sliced
- 300 g green pepper sliced
- 500 g tomatoes chopped
- 80 g dendê oil or saffron oil
- 40 g spice paste
- 3 L fish stock
- 400 g fresh cod cut into pieces
- 100 g okra
- 500 g coconut milk
- 30 g fresh coriander
- 20 g chervil or parsley
- 1 lime sliced
Instructions
Spice paste:
- Blend the black peppercorns, turmeric, ginger, coriander seeds, fresh chilies, and dried shrimp with a small amount of oil until a smooth paste forms.
Stew:
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic, onions, and peppers and sauté gently until softened, without browning.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 8–10 minutes until they begin to break down.
- Stir in the dendê oil and the prepared spice paste.
- Add the okra and fish stock. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Pour in the coconut milk and continue simmering for 10 minutes.
- Add the cod pieces and cook gently for 5 minutes, until the fish is just cooked through.
- Stir in the fresh coriander, chervil (or parsley), and lime slices. Let the stew infuse for 5 minutes before serving.
Plating:
- Serve with plain rice and farofa (Brazilian toasted cassava flour).
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!