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| Type | Stew |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Brazil |
| Main ingredients | Seafood, tomatoes, onions |
| Variations | Moqueca capixaba, moqueca baiana, moqueca paraense |
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| Part of a series on |
| Brazilian cuisine |
|---|
| Types of food |
| See also |
Moqueca (IPA: [moˈkɛkɐ] or IPA: [muˈkɛkɐ] depending on the dialect, also spelled muqueca) is a Brazilian seafood stew. Moqueca is typically made with shrimp or fish in a base of tomatoes, onions, garlic, lime, coriander, palm oil and coconut milk.[1]
The dish and its countless variations are present in the cuisine of several Brazilian states and compete for the position of national culinary symbol – in 2013, in a promotional survey by the Ministry of Tourism, the typical recipe that could not be missed on a tourist's table was chosen, even displacing feijoada.[2] According to Luís da Câmara Cascudo, author of History of Food in Brazil (Global), the fish that the Indians baked wrapped in leaves was called pokeka.[citation needed] Just like the word, which made “make a wrap”, the dish was gradually transformed, taking on the way of cooking in each place. In Bahia, where African influence prevailed, coconut milk and palm oil became mandatory ingredients – dorado, dogfish, whiting and sea bass are the most used fish. In the Espírito Santo version, Caloca Fernandes, author of Gastronomic journey through Brazil (Senac-SP), sees a purer aspect of Portuguese stews. In moqueca from Pará, an Amazonian fish that is accompanied by tucupi, jambu and shrimp. In Manaus, versions based on freshwater fish such as pirarucu and surubim also prevail.[citation needed]
Regardless of region, cooking in a ceramic pan is often seen as an essential part of the dish, as it is capable of retaining heat and keeping the broth steaming for longer.[citation needed] In Espírito Santo, the subject is taken so seriously that it has become a heritage site – the Ofício das Paneleiras de Goiabeiras, a neighborhood in Vitória, was registered as a cultural asset by the National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute (Iphan) in 2002.[citation needed] To this day, these ceramic pans are often made with clay from the region according to the indigenous technique: after being modeled by hand, they receive dye made from red mangrove bark, and are burned in the open air. The raw material used goes beyond keeping the moqueca hot. “This type of clay reduces the acidity of tomatoes and peppers, which is why moqueca from Espírito Santo does not cause heartburn”, guarantees Paulo Cesar Casagrande, owner of the Meaípe restaurant in São Paulo. At Meaípe, the Capixaba whiting moqueca is served on the table with rice and pirão. “The Bahian makes the pirão like the Indians: he puts the broth on the plate and throws the raw flour on top. We do it like the Portuguese: first we hydrate the flour in cold water and only then add the broth. As the raw flour ferments in the belly, the Bahian pirão is heavier,” explains Paulo.[citation needed]
- ^ "History of Moqueca". Independente.com.br. 18 August 2020.
- ^ "Moqueca é o prato preferido nas redes". Ministério do Turismo do Brazil. Retrieved 5 July 2024.