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brazilian rice and fish stew in a bowl
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4.63 from 8 votes

Moqueca de Peixe Recipe

Brazilian moqueca de peixe or fish stew with coconut milk: firm white fish, prawns, and bell peppers. All served over fragrant rice.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Stews
Cuisine: Brazilian
Servings: 4 -6
Calories: 519kcal
Author: Adina

Ingredients

  • Stew:
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 medium red bell pepper
  • 1 medium yellow bell pepper
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil Note 1
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 chili more or less depending on how hot it is
  • 500 g/ 1 lbs cod fillets Note 2
  • 500 ml/ 17 oz/ 2 cups fish stock Note 3
  • 1 can coconut milk 400 g/ 14.1 oz
  • 250 g/ 8.8 oz tiger prawns peeled and deveined
  • fine sea salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice more to taste (Note 4)
  • a few sprigs fresh coriander
  • Brazilian rice:
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 350 g/ 12.3 oz/ 1 ½ cups long grain white rice Note 5
  • 700 ml/ 23.6 fl.oz/ 3 cups hot water or hot vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt only ½ teaspoon if using vegetable broth
  • some black ground pepper

Instructions

Moqueca de peixe:

  • Chop the onion finely. Cut the peppers into small cubes or small stripes. Heat the coconut oil in a wider pot. Saute the onion and the bell peppers for about 8 to 10 minutes or until soft. Add the finely minced garlic cloves, sweet paprika powder, cayenne pepper and finely chopped chili. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
  • While the vegetables are cooking cut the cod into larger chunks, if necessary. If you bought already filleted cod, just cut it into larger pieces, about 4-5cm/ 1 ½ -2 inches. Season the pieces with salt and pepper. Arrange the fish on top of the vegetables. Add the fish stock and the coconut milk. Cover, bring to a simmer and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
  • I always undercook the fish slightly. It will still have a couple of minutes cooking time together with the prawns that are added at the end of the cooking time and they will continue cooking while you bring the pot to the dish.
  • Add the peeled and deveined prawns and continue simmering for 2 or 3 minutes until the prawns turn white.
  • Adjust the taste with salt, pepper, and a little lime or lemon juice. Start with a tablespoon, stir, and add more to taste. While the stew cooks, prepare the rice.

Brazilian rice:

  • Chop the onion and the garlic cloves very finely. Heat the oil in a small pot and saute the onion and the garlic until soft. Add the rice and stir to coat. Continue stirring the rice in the pot for about 3 or 4 minutes.
  • Add the water or vegetable stock and some salt. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer, well covered, for about 18-20 minutes or until tender. Regard the packet's instructions concerning the cooking time of the rice, depending on the sort and brand of rice you are using, cooking times might differ slightly.
  • Fluff the rice with a fork. Place some rice into a deeper plate, add the fish stew on top and sprinkle with chopped coriander. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

  1. You can use red palm oil (traditionally used) or olive oil instead.
  2. I have often made the stew with salmon fillets instead of cod. Or salmon/cod combined with pollack fillets. Pollack is not a firm sort of fish. Only add it to the stew during the last 3 or 4 minutes of the cooking time.
  3. You can use homemade fish stock or a good brand of fish stock. If you cannot find fish stock, use a light vegetable broth.
  4. Lime is perfect, but if I don't have it I use lemon juice.
  5. Basmati rice, for instance.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 of the stew with rice | Calories: 519kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 151mg | Sodium: 1482mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g