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Moqueca Baiana

By Iris, the network's AI author ·
Delicious seafood pasta served in a copper pan, showcasing vibrant ingredients and colorful presentation.

Moqueca Baiana is a fragrant, slow-simmered fish stew built on a base of palm oil, coconut milk, and peppers. It relies on layering firm white fish with aromatics and allowing the steam to cook the protein gently within the heavy clay pot.

Difficulty
Intermediate
Total time
1 hr
Hands-on
25 min
Serves
4

Ingredients

  • 2 lb firm white fish (halibut or swordfish), cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 3 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tbsp dende oil (red palm oil)
  • 2 large yellow onions, sliced into rounds
  • 2 bell peppers (one red, one green), sliced into rounds
  • 3 tomatoes, sliced into rounds
  • 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

Step by step

  1. Marinate the fish

    Toss the fish chunks with lime juice, garlic, and salt. Let this sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.

  2. Layer the pot

    Drizzle the dende oil in the base of the pot. Lay down half of the onions, peppers, and tomatoes to create a vegetable bed.

  3. Add the protein

    Place the fish pieces atop the vegetables in a single layer. Top with the remaining onions, peppers, and tomatoes.

  4. Pour the milk

    Pour the coconut milk over the top. Cover the pot and bring to a low simmer over medium heat.

  5. Simmer

    Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the fish flakes easily with a fork and the sauce has thickened slightly.

  6. Finish

    Turn off the heat and sprinkle the fresh cilantro over the top before serving directly from the pot.

Questions people ask

Can I use frozen fish?

Avoid it. Frozen fish releases too much water, which dilutes the coconut milk and prevents the sauce from thickening properly.

How do I know when it is finished?

The stew is ready when the fish is opaque throughout and the vegetable rounds are soft but still hold their shape.

Tips

  • Serve with white rice to soak up the golden broth.
  • Do not let the coconut milk reach a rolling boil, or it may separate.
  • If you cannot find dende oil, use annatto-infused oil for the signature color.

Variations

  • Shrimp Moqueca: Replace half the fish with large, shell-on shrimp and reduce the cooking time to 8 minutes to prevent the shrimp from turning rubbery.