| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons dende oil (see Note 1), or safflower oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 4 small jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
- 6 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1/3 cup dried shrimp (see Note 2), ground to a powder
- 1/3 cup cashew or peanut butter
- 2 cups chicken stock, homemade or best-quality canned
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves only, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Dash Tabasco, or to taste
- 2 pounds fish fillets, bones and skin removed, cut into 1inch cubes
- 1 pound large cooked shrimp, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
- 6 to 8 sprigs cilantro, for garnish (optional)
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
Instructions
- In a large stock pot, heat the dende oil over medium low heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, and chiles. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are well softened. Add the tomatoes, lime juice, ground shrimp, and cashew butter and stir together for 1 minute more. Begin adding the chicken stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring all the time to keep the mixture smooth. Add the coconut milk, cilantro, salt, and Tabasco.
- When ready to serve, brush a very large, deep skillet or saucepan with a little oil and place in the fish in a single layer. Place the pan over medium low heat and, when it just begins to sizzle, pour in the broth mixture and slowly bring up to a simmer. Cook for about 8 minutes, or until the fish is opaque, adding the shrimp for the last 2 minutes of simmering time. Distribute the fish evenly among 6 or 8 bowls. Taste the broth for seasoning and pour over the fish. Squeeze a wedge of lime over each bowl and drop it in. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired, and serve.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 455 |
| Total Fat | 27 g |
| Saturated Fat | 13 g |
| Carbohydrates | 15 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Protein | 43 g |
| Cholesterol | 192 mg |
| Sodium | 972 mg |
Reviews
As a Brazilian I have to say that this not a soup at all, it’s a creamy fish dish that you eat with plain rice or coconut rice and farofa, and the idea of having peanut butter in it alone, oh my Gosh, is a sin.
To thicken the vatapa, which should be a thick cream, you can use peanut flour or bread, as RRandall said. I prefer peanut flour. Also, please, no tabasco. Tabasco is NOT Brazilian at all.
You show no way of thickening the vatapa. Normally is thickened with bread soaked in milk & also the palm oil is added towards the end, which gives it the color. Not sauted with. otherwise very nice recipe. This is a dish I have made allot in Brasil.
This is one good soup. The coconut and spices make for a hint of Tai. Yet, it seems to have it’s own unique origin.