The problem with fish stew is that you can’t cook the fish for too long, thus it’s hard for flavors to get incorporate into the stew, however, this isn’t a problem for moqueca, because the sweetness of the seafood are extracted by the coconut milk, thus creating a thick and flavourful stew.
You’ll need: 1 1/2 lb white fish fillets (like halibut, swordfish, or cod); 1/2 lb prawns; 3 cloves garlic; 4 tbsp lime juice; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 medium sweet onion; 1 red bell pepper; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tbsp paprika; 1 tbsp red pepper flakes; 1 large bunch of cilantro; 14 oz coconut milk
How to make this:
- Rinse the fish in cold water, remove the pin bones and cut into large portions (you can use multiple types of fish if you like), devein and peel the prawns. Finely mince the garlic and onion, cut the bell pepper into 1/4 inch slices
- In a heavy duty deep pan, heat up the olive oil over medium heat, cook the minced garlic and onion for about 3 min, then add the tomato paste, paprika, red pepper flakes and some finely chopped stem of cilantro
- Pour and stir in the coconut milk, place the bell pepper on the bottom, then put on the layer of fish, then add another layer of prawns, bring it to a simmer, then cover and let it cook for 5 to7 min
- Mix in the lime juice, sprinkle with some chopped cilantro with some extra red chili for severing
