Vatapá
Ingredients
| 500 g (1 lb) | fish filet |
| 3 medium | carrots |
| 3 medium | potatoes |
| 2 medium | chayotes (also known as "vegetable pear") |
| 3 small loaves | day-old bread |
| 50 g (1.7 oz) | roasted peanuts |
| 50 g (1.7 oz) | roasted cashews |
| 1 can | tuna |
| 2 glasses | homemade or canned coconut milk |
| 2 tablespoons | palm oil |
| 1 small bunch | cilantro |
| 1 small bunch | chives |
| 2 | tomatoes (peeled) |
| 1 large | onion |
| 2 cloves | garlic |
| salt and black pepper at will |
Preparation
Season the fish filets with salt and pepper. Fry the filets and minced garlic in hot oil. After both sides of filets are well fried, add the onion, tomatoes, cilantro and chives, all well chopped. Remove from heat and reserve.
Cook the vegetables with some salt then drain water.
Cut bread into small pieces and let it soak in the coconut milk.
Purée in a blender the cooked vegetables, the soaked bread and all the sauce from the fried fish filets. Now bring the purée to a large skillet to cook for a while until it thickens, always stirring. Then add the peanuts, cashews, tuna and the previously fried filets, all well chopped. Stir well to a brief boil. Serve while still hot with white rice.
NOTE: Vatapá [vahtahPAH] is a Brazilian dish usually made with shrimp or fish. It can also be found made with poultry. Its "purée" consistency varies from place to place and in certain areas is served as soup.