Description
Brazilian Vatapá is a rich and creamy seafood stew originating from Afro-Brazilian cuisine, featuring a blend of shrimp, white fish, palm oil, coconut milk, nuts, and spices. This dish offers a unique and flavorful experience, perfect for a comforting main course, served traditionally with white rice or farofa.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1/4 cup palm oil (dendê oil) or vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Produce
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1–2 fresh chili peppers (chopped, optional)
- Chopped cilantro for garnish
Bread and Nuts
- 1 cup bread (stale or toasted, cut into cubes)
- 1/2 cup peanuts or cashews (unsalted)
Spices
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Seafood (optional)
- 1 pound shrimp (peeled and deveined, optional)
- 1/2 pound white fish (cut into chunks, optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Bread Mixture: In a blender, combine the stale or toasted bread cubes, coconut milk, unsalted peanuts or cashews, ground turmeric, ground coriander, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper. Blend everything together until it forms a smooth, creamy paste. Set this mixture aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat the palm oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, grated fresh ginger, and chopped chili peppers if using. Sauté these ingredients until they become fragrant and the onions soften, which will take about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add Bread Paste to the Pan: Pour the blended bread and nut paste into the skillet with the sautéed aromatics. Stir continuously to combine and allow the mixture to thicken into a creamy sauce, making sure it does not stick to the pan.
- Cook Seafood (Optional): If using shrimp and white fish, add them now to the skillet. Gently cook the stew for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the seafood is fully cooked and tender.
- Finish the Dish: Stir in the lime juice for a fresh acidity and adjust the seasoning if needed by adding more salt or pepper. Remove from heat.
- Serve: Serve the vatapá hot, garnished with chopped cilantro. Traditionally, it is accompanied by steamed white rice or farofa for a complete meal.
Notes
- Vatapá is traditionally made with shrimp, but you can make it fully vegetarian by omitting the seafood.
- Use slightly stale bread for the best texture and creaminess in the stew.
- Adjust the amount of chili peppers according to your preferred spice level or omit them for a milder version.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Brazilian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
