Bobo de Camarao (Shrimp in Cassava Cream)
A luxurious Afro-Brazilian dish from Bahia featuring plump shrimp in a velvety cassava cream enriched with coconut milk, palm oil, and peppers.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1.5 tsp kosher salt
- 1 lb frozen yuca (cassava), thawed, cut into 2-in chunks
- 2 tbsp dendê (red palm oil)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 ripe tomato, diced
- 1.5 cups full-fat coconut milk
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 4 scallions, sliced
Instructions
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1
Toss 1.5 lbs peeled and deveined large shrimp with 1/4 cup fresh lime juice and half the 1.5 tsp kosher salt. Set aside to marinate while you prepare the base.
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2
Boil 1 lb cut into 2-in chunks frozen yuca (cassava), thawed in salted water until very tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and reserve 1 cup of cooking water. Transfer to a blender with the reserved water and blend to a smooth cream. Set aside.
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3
Heat 2 tbsp dendê (red palm oil) and 2 tbsp olive oil in a large, wide saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 diced yellow onion and 1 diced red bell pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
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4
Add 4 minced garlic cloves and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add 2 diced ripe tomato and cook 3 minutes until broken down.
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5
Pour in 1.5 cups full-fat coconut milk and 1 cup vegetable stock. Add the cassava cream and stir to incorporate. Season with the remaining kosher salt. Simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and is silky.
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6
Add the marinated large shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until the shrimp are pink, curled, and just cooked through.
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7
Stir in half the 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve over rice, topped with the remaining fresh cilantro and 4 sliced scallions.