Vatapá

Ingredients

• 500 g shrimp
• 250 g stale bread
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 100 g roasted peanuts
• 80 g roasted cashews
• 2 medium tomato
• 1 medium onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp ginger
• 1 whole chili
• 0.5 bunch cilantro
• 1 whole lime
• 60 ml palm oil (dendê)

Steps

1. Tear stale bread into chunks and soak in coconut milk 15 minutes until soft.
2. Blend the soaked bread with roasted peanuts, roasted cashews, and grated ginger until smooth.
3. In a heavy pot, heat palm oil; sauté chopped onion and minced garlic until soft.
4. Add chopped tomato and a chopped chili; cook 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the blended bread mixture and cook, stirring constantly, 15 minutes until it thickens to a pudding consistency.
6. Fold in peeled shrimp and cook 5 minutes until just pink and cooked through.
7. Squeeze in lime juice, shower with chopped cilantro, and check salt.
8. Serve immediately with plain white rice or as a topping for acarajé.

Tips

• The consistency should be thick like polenta — add coconut milk if too stiff.
• A splash more palm oil at the end deepens the flavor and color.