Moqueca Com Pirao (Brazilian Shrimp Stew)

Ingredients

• 2 lbs large shrimp (reserve shells)
• 2 onions, sliced
• 3 tomatoes, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 tablespoons dende oil (or olive oil if you can't find it)
• coconut milk, 100ml
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika (* see note at the end)
• cilantro and chives, chopped

Directions

1. 1

   Saute onions, garlic and tomatoes in oil, in a clay pan if possible (http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/15240632.jpg). When onions are golden—about 15 minutes—add deveined and cleaned shrimp, and wait until it gets “red”—about 15 more minutes. About 5 minutes after you added the shrimp, add coconut milk and paprika. Before serving, mix in cilantro and chives.

2. 2

   Pirao: 700ml water; 1 onion, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, mashed with salt; pepper & salt to taste; reserved shrimp shells; dash of colorau *; 1 cup manioc flour. In a pan with lid, boil all the ingredients for about 15 minutes. Drain. Put liquid back in pan; when it boils turn to a simmer. SLOWLY add manioc flour, stirring constantly (as for polenta). It is ready when it starts thickening. (It doesn’t harden, but turns kinda gooey.).

3. 3

   * We actually use “colorau” (made mainly from “urucum” seeds); instead of paprika, a better substitute in my view is annatto seeds (http://www.overmundo.com.br/overblog/nosso-colorau-o-urucum). Saute annatto seeds in the dende oil, being VERY careful not to bun them; remove seeds and use the oil.