Latin American & Caribbean · Lunch · Dinner
Moqueca (Brazilian Fish Stew)
Moqueca de Peixe
Tender chunks of lime-marinated white fish simmered in a bright, layered stew of peppers, tomatoes and light coconut milk, finished with fresh cilantro. Served over nutty brown rice for a satisfying, lighter take on the Bahian classic.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 46% · Fat 25% · Protein 29%
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Ingredients
For 4 servings- 600 gFirm white fish fillets (cod, halibut or snapper), skinless
- 1/4 cup (about 2 limes)60 gLime juice
- 3 cloves9 gGarlic, minced
- 1 tsp6 gSalt
- 1/4 tspBlack pepper, ground
- 1 tbsp14 gOlive oil
- 1 large150 gOnion, thinly sliced
- 1 large165 gRed bell pepper, sliced
- 1 large165 gYellow bell pepper, sliced
- 3 medium370 gTomatoes, sliced
- 1 tspSweet paprika
- 1 can (400 ml)Light coconut milk
- 1 small5 gFresh red chili, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 tsp5 gRed palm oil (dendê) (optional)
- 1/2 cup8 gFresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 stalks30 gGreen onions, sliced
- 1 cup190 gBrown rice, dry
- 2 1/2 cups590 gWater (for rice)
Steps
- 1
Cut the fish into large 4-5 cm chunks and place in a bowl.
- 2
Add the lime juice, garlic, half the salt and the black pepper to the fish, toss gently, cover and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
- 3
Meanwhile, rinse the brown rice and bring it to a boil with the water in a covered pot.
- 4
Reduce the rice to a low simmer and cook, covered, for about 40 minutes until tender and the water is absorbed, then rest off the heat for 5 minutes.
- 5
While the rice cooks, heat the olive oil in a wide, deep pan over medium heat.
- 6
Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
- 7
Stir in the red and yellow peppers and the chili, if using, and cook for 4 minutes.
- 8
Add the tomatoes, paprika and the remaining salt, and cook for 5 minutes until the tomatoes begin to break down.
- 9
Pour in the coconut milk and the palm oil, if using, and bring to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes.
- 10
Nestle the fish and its marinade into the sauce in a single layer, spooning some sauce over the top.
- 11
Cover and simmer gently for 8-10 minutes without stirring, until the fish flakes easily and reaches 63 °C / 145 °F inside.
- 12
Scatter over the cilantro and green onions and taste for salt.
- 13
Serve the stew in bowls over the brown rice.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- Use firm tofu cubes or hearts of palm instead of the fish for a vegan version, adding them for the last 5 minutes just to heat through.
- Swap the brown rice for white rice, which cooks in about 15 to 18 minutes, if you are short on time.
- Serve over cauliflower rice instead of brown rice for a lighter bowl.
- Replace the red palm oil with an extra teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch more paprika if you can't find dendê.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover stew and rice in separate airtight containers within 2 hours and eat within 3 days, reheating gently until steaming hot. The fish is best eaten fresh and can turn rubbery, so freezing is not recommended.
Make ahead
Make the pepper, tomato and coconut sauce up to 2 days ahead and keep it in the fridge, then reheat it to a simmer and cook the freshly marinated fish in it just before serving. The rice can also be cooked a day ahead, cooled quickly and refrigerated.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
Contains: Fish
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (690 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 454 kcal | 66 kcal |
| Protein | 33.2 g | 4.8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 52.6 g | 7.6 g |
| of which sugars | 6.6 g | 1 g |
| Fiber | 5.3 g | 0.8 g |
| Fat | 12.6 g | 1.8 g |
| of which saturated | 6.5 g | 0.9 g |
| Sodium | 689 mg | 100 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
