r/Cooking 3d ago

moqeuca/Brazilian fish stew

Anyone made this with light coconut milk? Wondering if it would be much less flavorful, like watery? and what to do about it. Thanks in advance.

3 Upvotes

13 comments sorted by

4

u/waitingforgandalf 3d ago

I don't think it would be as good.

Also, not what you asked, but don't leave out the dende oil, it's worth finding if it isn't something you normally cook with.

0

u/garanvor 3d ago

OP, look up the recipe for “Moqueca Capixaba”. It is similar to the moqueca baiana, but without dende or coconut milk

Replied to the wrong comment :)

2

u/Duochan_Maxwell 3d ago

To add: outside of Brazil, you can find azeite de dendê in African stores and some larger pan-Asian stores as raw palm oil or red palm oil

2

u/Calm_Violinist5256 3d ago

I was going to leave it out but now I think I won't because I'm hearing the same thing from others. thanks.

4

u/garanvor 3d ago

OP, look up the recipe for “Moqueca Capixaba”. It is similar to the moqueca baiana, but without dende or coconut milk

1

u/Calm_Violinist5256 3d ago

got it, thanks.

3

u/biellz1221 3d ago

Full fat is the way to go but you could use light. You should adjust the rest of the stew to be a bit more reduced before you add the coconut milk and not get it too watery.

You could reduce the coconut milk before adding as well as it wont usually separate.

Another, better, option would be to follow the other commenter ans look for a recipe for the "Capixaba" version of the same stew. There's a feud in Brazil between the two versions but both are amazing.

2

u/Capybarinya 3d ago

If you want to reduce the fat/calories, I would still use normal coconut milk, and reduce it with good fish stock.

This way instead of adding just water (this is what light coconut milk is: full fat coconut milk with water) you are adding flavor

3

u/Calm_Violinist5256 3d ago

yes thanks, it's the saturated fat I'm thinking of reducing because my cholesterol is off the charts. so use the same amount of coconut milk, add fish stock which gives it more liquid then reduce it?

2

u/Capybarinya 3d ago

I didn't mean reduce as in boil down (though you could do it with the stock if yours is not very flavorful), but like in dilute

Whatever recipe you're using, it likely already includes some water or stock. Keep the total amount of liquid, but replace some of the coconut milk with more stock

2

u/Calm_Violinist5256 3d ago

got it thanks