{"id":4578,"date":"2021-02-25T08:09:40","date_gmt":"2021-02-25T13:09:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/delamourencocotte.com\/?p=4578"},"modified":"2026-09-05T23:14:06","modified_gmt":"2026-09-06T04:14:06","slug":"brazilian-fish-stew-moqueca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/delamourencocotte.com\/en\/brazilian-fish-stew-moqueca\/","title":{"rendered":"Brazilian fish stew (Moqueca)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Piece of life<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Being married to a Brazilian allowed me to discover the gastronomy of this country that I didn’t know at all before. The culinary habits in Brazil are very different from the French, and it took me a little time to appreciate it. However, some dishes immediately conquered me like the famous moqueca [there are a few others, I’ll tell you about them soon].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the Moqueca<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical dish from the state of Bahia (in the south of the Nordeste region), known for its architecture, culture and gastronomy. The Afro-Brazilian culture is strongly represented there, especially in its capital Salvador, through which slaves arrived from Africa. The origin of moqueca is still a matter of debate, but what is certain is that it was influenced by African cultures through the use of palm oil [azeite de dend\u00ea]. You can make a very good fish stew without this oil, but then it won’t be a moqueca. This ingredient is the essential element for a real moqueca baiana. You can find it very easily in African grocery stores. Although I am strongly against the mass use of this oil in the food industry, its use in traditional dishes seems reasonable to me [for more details see below].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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About palm oil<\/summary>
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Palm oil has been the subject of much debate for several years, due to its mass use by the food industry [for health and environmental reasons]. The palm oil used in moqueca is the raw oil, which has a characteristic dark orange\/red color and a very pronounced flavour. This oil is widely used in African and Asian cuisine. Palm oil used in the food industry is refined and its physical and nutritional properties are greatly modified.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Moqueca is traditionally prepared in a terracotta pan called “panela de barro”. I’m lucky to have one [actually I have two] but you probably won’t have this pan, no problem, you can prepare the moqueca in a standard pot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moqueca is mainly made with firm fish [to prevent the fish from falling apart during cooking] but you can also make it with shrimp or even chicken. I mainly use cod or tilapia [fish that I can easily find in Canada], combined with shrimp. Feel free to use other fish.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Brazilian fish stew (Moqueca)<\/h2>\n
A traditional Brazilian dish, exotic, tasty and delicious, with a special ingredient that makes all its originality.<\/span><\/div>\n
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