INGREDIENTS

3 pounds of cassava
2-3 pounds of shrimp
two chopped onions
a few minced garlic cloves
¼ cup chopped cilantro
a large can of whole tomatoes
2 cups coconut milk
¼ cup dendê oil
Salt and pepper

PREPARATION

Peel and cut three pounds of cassava (also known as yucca or manioc) and put it in a pan with cold water and salt. Cook until tender, then drain and reserve both the cooked cassava and liquid, while discarding any fibers. Use a fork to mash the cassava while still hot, and use some of the liquid to help, but don’t use a blender or food processor!

Peel and de-vein 2-3 pounds of shrimp, then sauté two chopped onions and a few minced garlic cloves. Add 1/8 cup chopped cilantro, a large can of whole tomatoes and stir well. Then add the shrimp and cook for another fifteen minutes. Add your cassava, any of the reserved liquid if necessary, 2 cups coconut milk, ¼ cup dendê oil (a palm oil high in saturated fat available in specialty food stores), and another 1/8 cup of cilantro. Salt and pepper to taste and serve over rice.