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Brazil · Bigmouth Sleeper

Brazilian River-Fish Moqueca

Moqueca de Peixe de Rio

In the river towns of Bahia’s Recôncavo, the catch goes into a clay pot with tomatoes, peppers, coconut milk and a splash of golden dendê oil.

  • Prep 25 min
  • Cook 30 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Medium
Photo: FUXICOS DA GLÁUCIA · CC BY-SA 2.0
Served with: Brazilian Garlic White Rice ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the fish

For the moqueca

Method

Step by step, the way it is done on the island.

  1. Marinate. Rub the fish with lime, garlic, salt and pepper and leave it 20 minutes.
  2. Layer the pot. Oil a wide clay pot or heavy pan. Lay down half the onion, tomato and peppers, set the fish on top and cover with the rest of the vegetables and half the cilantro.
  3. Cook. Pour the coconut milk over, cover and cook over medium-low heat 15 minutes without stirring.
  4. Finish with dendê. Drizzle the dendê oil and malagueta over, shake the pot gently and cook uncovered 5 minutes more, until the fish flakes.
  5. Serve. Top with the remaining cilantro and green onions and bring the pot to the table with white rice.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Brazil

Brazilian Garlic White Rice

Arroz Branco

Loose, fluffy white rice sautéed with onion and garlic before it simmers. On every Brazilian plate it soaks up moqueca, beans and grilled-fish juices.

  • Prep 5 min
  • Cook 25 min
  • Serves 4–6
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • ½ small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
  • 4 cups boiling water
  • 1½ tsp salt

How to make it

  1. Sauté. Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Cook the onion 2 minutes and the garlic 1 minute, without browning.
  2. Toast the rice. Add the drained rice and salt and stir 2–3 minutes until the grains look dry and a little see-through.
  3. Simmer. Pour in the boiling water, stir once and cook uncovered on medium until the water drops below the surface of the rice, about 8 minutes.
  4. Finish covered. Cover, turn the heat to low and cook 8–10 minutes more. Rest 5 minutes and fluff with a fork.

Photo: cookbookman17 · CC BY 2.0

More ways to cook Bigmouth Sleeper

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Arecibo, Puerto RicoPuerto Rican Fried Guavina
Sancti Spíritus, CubaCuban River Fish Escabeche
Ciudad Bolívar, VenezuelaVenezuelan River Fish in Sofrito Sauce