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Moqueca Baiana

Name: Moqueca Baiana
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Brazilian
Ingredients: 400 g white fish fillets, skinless and cut into large chunks; 20 ml lime juice; 2 cloves garlic, finely grated; 4 g fine salt; 1 g black pepper; 20 ml dendê oil; 120 g onion, sliced into thin half-moons; 100 g red bell pepper, sliced; 100 g yellow bell pepper, sliced; 200 g ripe tomatoes, sliced; 200 ml coconut milk; 20 g cilantro stems and leaves, chopped; 60 ml water; 2 g fine salt; 2 wedges lime wedges; 5 g cilantro leaves

Moqueca Baiana is a fragrant fish stew with a rich golden broth of coconut milk, dendê oil, sweet peppers, tomatoes, and onion. The fish stays tender and delicate, while cilantro and lime keep the finish bright and fresh.

30 min

2 servings

551 kcal

Brazilian

Ingredients

Fish and seasoning

400 gwhite fish fillets, skinless and cut into large chunks
20 mllime juice
2 clovesgarlic, finely grated
4 gfine salt
1 gblack pepper

Bahian stew base

20 mldendê oil
120 gonion, sliced into thin half-moons
100 gred bell pepper, sliced
100 gyellow bell pepper, sliced
200 gripe tomatoes, sliced
200 mlcoconut milk
20 gcilantro stems and leaves, chopped
60 mlwater
2 gfine salt

To finish

2 wedgeslime wedges
5 gcilantro leaves

Instructions

1
Season the fish with the lime juice, grated garlic, 4 g salt, and black pepper. Turn gently to coat and let it stand while you prepare the vegetables, about 10 minutes. This brief seasoning gives flavor without 'cooking' the fish too much in the acid.
2
Heat a wide sauté pan or shallow pot over medium heat. Add the dendê oil, then layer in half the onion, half the red bell pepper, half the yellow bell pepper, and half the tomatoes. Scatter over half the chopped cilantro. Building the stew in layers helps the vegetables soften evenly and creates the characteristic moqueca broth.
3
Arrange the seasoned fish pieces in a single layer over the vegetables. Top with the remaining onion, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, tomatoes, and chopped cilantro. Sprinkle over the remaining 2 g salt, pour in the coconut milk and water, and gently shake the pan so the liquid settles around the fish. Do not stir vigorously, or the fish may break apart.
4
Cover and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, occasionally rotating the pan by the handles instead of stirring, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily, the onions are tender, and the broth is lightly thickened from the vegetables and coconut milk.
5
Uncover and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes more if you want a slightly more concentrated broth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Finish with the cilantro leaves and serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing over at the table.

Nutrition per serving

551 kcal

Calories

42g

Protein

18g

Carbs

36g

Fat

Fiber

Notes

•Firm white fish such as cod, haddock, halibut, monkfish, or sea bass works best; avoid very delicate fillets that may fall apart.
•A traditional moqueca is often served with plain white rice, farofa, and sometimes pirão made from the stew broth.
•If your coconut milk is very thick, the 60 ml water helps keep the broth balanced and prevents it from reducing too quickly.
•Dendê oil gives the dish its unmistakable Bahian character; if omitted, the stew will still be good but no longer truly Baiana in flavor.

Background

Moqueca Baiana comes from the state of Bahia, where Afro-Brazilian cooking strongly shaped the local cuisine. Its use of dendê oil and coconut milk reflects West African influences blended with Indigenous Brazilian fish cookery and Portuguese ingredients. The dish is one of Bahia's best-known culinary icons.

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