Bobó de camarão
Bobó de camarão: prawns in a velvety purée of cassava, coconut milk and dendê oil
Velvety, coral-coloured and rich with coconut, bobó de camarão is what Bahian families put on the table when there is something to celebrate, and beach restaurants from Praia do Forte to Itacaré serve it in clay pots with white rice and farofa. Cassava is boiled until it falls apart, blended with coconut milk into a smooth cream, then folded into prawns cooked with onion, tomato, peppers and a slick of dendê oil. The result is somewhere between a stew and a thick sauce, sweet from the prawns and gently earthy from the cassava. A frequent mistake is boiling the prawns in the purée for too long, which leaves them tough and curled; they go in at the very end. Cassava must always be cooked right through, never eaten raw: cut out the woody core and boil it until a knife meets no resistance. Chef's tip: blend the cassava while it is still hot, with some of its cooking water; cold cassava turns gluey in the blender.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the prawns
For the cassava cream
For the stew
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Toss 1 ¾ lb raw king prawns with 1 lime, 2 cloves garlic and ½ tsp salt in a bowl, cover and leave in the fridge for 15 minutes while you start the cassava.
15 minStep 2: Cover 1 ⅓ lb cassava with cold water in a pan, bring to the boil and cook on a medium heat for 25–30 minutes until it is completely soft and starting to break up at the edges. Drain, keeping a mugful of the water.
30 minStep 3: Blend the hot cassava with 1 ¼ cups coconut milk and enough cooking water to make a smooth, pourable cream, like thick custard.
Step 4: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a wide pan over a medium heat and soften 1 onion with the rest of 2 cloves garlic for 5 minutes until translucent.
5 minStep 5: Add 2 tomatoes and 1 green pepper and cook for 5 minutes until soft and jammy.
5 minStep 6: Stir in the cassava cream, 3 tbsp dendê (red palm) oil and the rest of ½ cup coconut milk. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring, until it bubbles lazily and turns an even orange. Season with the rest of ½ tsp salt.
5 minStep 7: Drop in the prawns and their juices and cook on a low heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring, just until they are pink all over and opaque right through when you cut one.
4 minStep 8: Take off the heat, scatter with 3 tbsp fresh coriander and serve straight away with rice and farofa.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 27 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bobó de camarão take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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 lime?
- Lemon, same amount.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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