Chef-tested recipe
Bahian shrimp stew thickened with silky cassava, coconut milk, dendê oil, tomatoes, peppers, coriander, and lime
Bobó de camarão is a Bahian shrimp stew whose body comes from cooked cassava blended with coconut milk. Tomatoes, onions, peppers, coriander, and red dendê oil connect the creamy base to the Afro-Brazilian cooking traditions of Bahia. The shrimp are marinated briefly with lime and added at the end, protecting their tenderness while their shells provide a quick stock for the cassava.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 6 servings
- Prep Time
- 40 mins
- Cook Time
- 55 mins
- Resting Time
- 10 mins
- Marinating Time
- 15 mins
- Total Time
- 1 hour 50 mins
- Cuisine
- Brazilian, Bahian
- Course
- Main dish
- Cooking Method
- Cassava simmering, puréeing, sautéing, and gentle stewing
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Best Served With
- Best served with white rice, farofa, lime wedges, and a simple tomato-and-onion vinaigrette.
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
- Heavy saucepanpaid link
- Wide heavy potpaid link
- Fine-mesh sievepaid link
- Blender or immersion blenderpaid link
- Chef’s knifepaid link
- Cutting boardpaid link
- Wooden spoonpaid link
- Digital kitchen scalepaid link
Ingredients
For the shrimp and stock
- Whole large shrimp with shells: 1.2 kg
- Fresh lime juice: 35 ml
- Garlic, finely grated: 12 g
- Fine sea saltpaid link: 6 g
- Freshly ground black pepper: 2 g
- Water: 1.5 litres
- Yellow onion, roughly chopped: 100 g
- Coriander stems: 20 g
For the cassava purée
- Fresh or frozen cassava, peeled and woody cores removed: 1 kg
- Prepared shrimp stock: 1.2 litres
- Coconut milk: 500 ml Shop paid link
For the stew
- Red palm oil or dendê oilpaid link: 90 ml
- Yellow onion, finely diced: 250 g
- Garlic, finely minced: 24 g
- Red bell pepper, finely diced: 160 g
- Yellow bell pepper, finely diced: 160 g
- Ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped: 500 g
- Red finger chilli, finely chopped: 15 g
- Fine sea saltpaid link: 6 g
- Spring onions, thinly sliced: 40 g
- Fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped: 35 g
Preparation Overview
Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving the shells. Mix the tails with lime juice, grated garlic, salt, and pepper for 15 minutes under refrigeration. Remove the tough central fibres from the cassava before and again after cooking. Wear an apron when handling dendê oil because its orange colour stains.
Method
Put the shrimp shells, water, roughly chopped onion, and coriander stems in a saucepan.
Bring to a simmer, cook for 20 minutes, then strain. Measure 1.2 litres stock.
Add the cassava to the stock and simmer for 25 to 35 minutes until completely tender and beginning to split.
Drain the cassava, reserving 500 ml stock. Remove any remaining woody fibres.
Blend the cassava with the coconut milk and enough reserved stock to make a smooth, thick purée.
Heat the dendê oil in a wide heavy pot. Add the diced onion and peppers and cook for 8 minutes.
Add the garlic, tomatoes, and finger chilli and cook for 10 minutes until thick and glossy.
Stir in the cassava purée and remaining reserved stock as needed. Simmer gently for 8 minutes, stirring from the bottom.
Add the marinated shrimp and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until just opaque.
Fold in the spring onions and coriander, adjust the salt, rest for 10 minutes, and serve.
Beginner Technique Notes
Cassava must be fully peeled and thoroughly cooked before eating. Remove the firm woody core from each piece.
Blend hot cassava carefully in batches with the lid vented, or use an immersion blender in the pot.
Dendê oil has a strong colour and flavour. Measure it rather than pouring freely.
Add the shrimp only after the cassava base is ready; overcooking makes them firm and dry.
Tips and Variations
Frozen peeled cassava is convenient and often already trimmed, but inspect every piece for the central fibre.
The cassava purée should be spoonable, not gluey. Loosen it with reserved shrimp stock as needed.
Use a mixture of coriander and spring onion for the fresh Bahian finish.
For a milder palm-oil flavour, use 60 ml dendê and 30 ml neutral oil, although the colour will be lighter.
Serving Ideas
- Spoon the orange-gold bobó into a wide serving bowl, keeping several shrimp visible on top. Finish with coriander and spring onion and serve rice separately.
Storage
Cool rapidly and refrigerate in a covered container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently, adding a little water because cassava thickens when chilled. Do not boil the shrimp repeatedly. Freeze the cassava base without shrimp for up to 2 months.
Nutritional Value
Allergen Notes
Contains crustaceans. Coconut is classified as a tree nut in some labelling systems. Red palm oil and cassava are naturally free from gluten, but verify packaged ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is bobó de camarão?
It is a Bahian shrimp stew thickened with cassava and flavoured with coconut milk and dendê oil.
Can I use yuca instead of cassava?
Yes. Yuca and cassava are names for the same root.
Is dendê oil essential?
It gives the characteristic colour and Afro-Bahian flavour. Reducing it is possible, but omitting it changes the identity of the dish.
Why is my bobó too thick?
Cassava continues absorbing liquid. Stir in reserved stock or hot water until the stew is creamy and spoonable.