Bobó de Camarão (Bahian Shrimp & Cassava Cream)

Toss the peeled shrimp with the lime juice, one third of the garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside in the fridge while you cook the cassava.

Put the cassava cubes in a pot, cover with water and a little salt, and boil 20–25 minutes until completely soft and falling apart.

💡 Cassava must be cooked fully soft — undercooked, it will not purée smoothly and stays gritty. Fish out and discard any hard central fibre.

Drain the cassava (save a cup of the cooking water) and blend it with half the coconut milk into a smooth, thick purée. Add a splash of the cooking water if it's too stiff to blend.

In a wide pot, warm the olive oil and soften the onion over medium heat for 4 minutes until translucent.

Add the remaining garlic, the diced pepper and the tomatoes and cook 6–8 minutes until the tomatoes collapse into a soft sofrito.

Stir in the cassava purée and the rest of the coconut milk. Loosen with the reserved cooking water to a thick, pourable cream and bring to a gentle simmer.

💡 Stir often now — the thick purée catches and scorches on the base easily. Keep the heat gentle.

Simmer 8–10 minutes for the flavours to marry, adding the grated ginger if using. Season with salt and pepper.

Slide in the marinated shrimp and stir gently. Cook just 3–4 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and curled — no longer.

Turn off the heat and swirl in the dendê palm oil, letting it streak orange through the cream.

💡 As with moqueca, the dendê goes in off the heat so its fresh flavour survives. Boiling it makes the dish taste heavy and greasy.

Fold through most of the coriander and taste for salt and lime.

Serve hot over white rice, scattered with the last of the coriander.