Fish Moqueca

Cut the fish fillet into large chunks of 4–5 cm, place in a bowl, drizzle with lime juice, season with salt and add one minced garlic clove; cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 20–25 min.

Cut the onion into half-rings, the tomatoes into wedges, the bell pepper and chili pepper into thin strips, and finely chop the remaining garlic.

In a wide skillet or thick-bottomed pot, heat half of the dendê oil over medium heat and add a layer of onion, garlic, chili pepper, bell pepper and tomatoes.

Arrange the marinated fish chunks on top in a single layer and cover with the remaining sliced vegetables.

Pour in the coconut milk so it almost covers the contents of the skillet, and drizzle with the remaining dendê oil.

Cover with a lid and simmer over medium heat for 15–18 min without stirring, only gently shaking the skillet — the fish cooks through steam from the coconut milk.

Check for doneness with a fork: the fish should flake easily while staying intact; add more salt if needed.

Before serving, generously sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro and serve hot with white rice.