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Arroz de tamboril
Monkfish and tomato rice
Arroz de tamboril: soupy monkfish and tomato rice with coriander, from the Beira coast
Fish restaurants in Aveiro, Figueira da Foz and the fishing town of Praia de Mira serve this rice in the pot it was cooked in, steaming and loose, with chunks of firm monkfish and a broth coloured by tomato and peppers. It is a lunch for the weekend, eaten slowly near the beach. Monkfish holds its shape well, and its head and bones make a fine stock. You can add prawns if you like. Chef's tip: it should be 'malandrinho', loose and soupy, so take it off the heat while the rice is still slightly firm; it carries on softening at the table.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ lb monkfish tail filletsmembrane removed, cut into 4 cm chunks; keep the bones
- 6 ¼ cups water
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onionchopped
- 3 cloves garlicchopped
- 1 green pepperdiced
- 3 ripe tomatoespeeled and chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 10 ½ oz short-grain rice (carolino)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 bunch fresh corianderchopped
- 7 oz raw prawns (optional)peeled
- 1 piri-piri or small dried chilli (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Simmer the monkfish bones with the 6 ¼ cups water and 2 bay leaves for 20 minutes to make a stock. Strain; you need about 1.2 litres.
22 minStep 2: Season the 1 ¾ lb monkfish tail fillets with half the 2 tsp salt and leave it in the fridge while you start the rice.
2 minStep 3: In a wide pan, cook the 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic and 1 green pepper in the 5 tbsp olive oil over a medium heat for 8 minutes, until soft. Add the 3 ripe tomatoes, 1 tbsp tomato purée, 1 tsp sweet paprika and 1 piri-piri or small dried chilli if using and cook for 5 minutes, until pulpy.
13 minStep 4: Pour in the hot stock, add the remaining salt and bring to the boil. Stir in the 10 ½ oz short-grain rice (carolino) and simmer for 10 minutes.
11 minStep 5: Add the monkfish (and the 7 oz raw prawns if using) and simmer gently for 6–8 minutes, until the fish is opaque all the way through and flakes when pressed, and any prawns are pink. A common mistake is cooking the rice dry: add hot water so it stays soupy.
8 minStep 6: Stir in most of the 1 bunch fresh coriander, scatter the rest on top and serve straight from the pan.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 64 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does arroz de tamboril take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of bay leaves?
- Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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