Moqueca

There are many different recipes for moqueca, a Brazilian fish stew. The dish is believed to have originated with the Tupi people, who were the first inhabitants of Brazil. Moqueca recipes vary depending on the region of Brazil, but they all typically include fish, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and cilantro.

The first recorded moqueca recipe was published in 1839 by Brazilian author Maria Graham. In her cookbook, Graham included a recipe for moqueca de peixe, which was made with cod, tomatoes, onions, and cilantro. This recipe is similar to the moqueca recipes that are popular in the state of Bahia today.

Moqueca recipes began to spread to other parts of Brazil in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In Rio de Janeiro, moqueca was made with a different type of fish, called surubim. This fish is native to the Amazon River and has a pinkish flesh. Moqueca recipes from Rio de Janeiro typically also include coconut milk, which is not a common ingredient in Bahian moqueca.

Advice

When making moqueca, it is important to use a variety of fresh ingredients to achieve the best results. Start by prepping all of your ingredients and having them ready before you begin cooking. Use a good quality fish or seafood, such as cod, salmon or shrimp, and combine it with diced tomatoes, onions, garlic, bell peppers, and other fresh vegetables. Be sure to season the fish with salt and pepper before adding it to the pan. When sautéing the vegetables, use a good quality olive oil to bring out all of the flavors. Finally, when the ingredients are combined, let the moqueca simmer for a few minutes to allow the flavors to blend together. Enjoy your delicious moqueca!

Jump to: Ingredient Breakdown Insights

Recipes

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Moqueca (Brazilian Fish Stew)

  • STEW
  • piri piri
  • salt
  • green plantain
  • red chile pepper
  • white turnip
  • coconut milk
  • shrimp
  • grain rice
  • bell pepper
  • cilantro
  • black bass
  • chive
  • bay leaf
  • garlic
  • green cubanelle pepper
  • onion
  • dendê oil
  • plum tomato
  • octopus tentacle
  • shishito pepper
  • FAROFA (OPTIONAL)
  • onion
  • cassava meal
  • butter
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Moqueca (Brazilian Fish Stew)

  • white rice
  • salt
  • thai basil
  • lime juice
  • cilantro
  • coconut milk
  • fish
  • italian frying pepper
  • catfish
  • onion
  • palm oil
  • plum tomato
  • olive oil
  • garlic
  • shrimp
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Moqueca (Brazilian Fish Stew)

  • salt
  • basil
  • cilantro
  • lime juice
  • coconut milk
  • fish
  • italian frying pepper
  • catfish
  • onion
  • palm oil
  • plum tomato
  • olive oil
  • cloves garlic clove
  • shrimp

Ingredient Breakdown

 
onion
salt
coconut milk
cilantro
garlic
shrimp
plum tomato
dendê oil
lime juice
fish
italian frying pepper
catfish
palm oil
olive oil
rice
tomato
hot chile
cod
lime
prawn
sweet bell pepper
piri piri
green plantain
red chile pepper
white turnip
cassava meal
grain rice
bell pepper
black bass
chive
bay leaf
green cubanelle pepper
butter
octopus tentacle
shishito pepper
white rice
thai basil
basil
cloves garlic clove

Insights