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Moqueca De Tilapia

Moqueca De Tilapia Recipe

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 460
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb tilapia fillets (about 4 fillets)
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil or dendê oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced (or 1 cup canned diced tomatoes)
  • 1 can (13.5 oz / 400 ml) full-fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup fish broth or water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Method
 

  1. Pat tilapia dry, season with salt, pepper, and lime juice. Heat oil in a pot over medium-high. Sear fillets 1 minute per side until edges turn opaque. Remove and set aside.
  2. Cook onion in the same pot for 3 minutes. Add garlic, bell peppers, and tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes, stirring often.
  3. Pour in coconut milk, broth, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 10 minutes. Adjust salt.
  4. Nestle the fish into the broth, cover, and simmer 5-6 minutes until the fish flakes easily. Do not stir.
  5. Spoon stew into bowls, top with cilantro, and serve with lime wedges and rice.

Notes

If your tilapia fillets are very thin, check them at 4 minutes to avoid overcooking. The stew thickens as it sits, so you may want to stir in a splash of water or broth when reheating leftovers.