Bobó de Camarão

Peel the cassava, split it lengthwise, remove the fibrous core, and cut into small cubes to soften faster.

Peel the shrimp, devein if needed, pat dry, lightly salt, dust with ground pepper, and let rest in a bowl for a few minutes.

Dice onion, peppers, and tomatoes. Finely chop the garlic and coarsely chop the cilantro. Chop the chili pepper according to your desired heat.

Bring a pot of water to a boil for the cassava. Add the cassava cubes and simmer under a lid until tender, about 20-25 minutes. Drain and remove any fibrous strings.

Place the cooked cassava in a blender, add coconut milk, and blend until smooth and thick. If too dense, add a few tablespoons of hot water and blend to a silky consistency.

Meanwhile, rinse the rice under running water in a strainer. Place it in a saucepan, add the measured water, salt, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook covered for 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 more minutes.

Heat some canola oil in a pan, sauté the onion for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic, stir briefly to prevent bitterness. Add peppers, tomatoes, and chili if using, and cook for another 5-6 minutes until the vegetables soften and release their juices.

Stir in the palm oil to fragrance the vegetable base, then add the shrimp. Increase the heat and sear the shrimp on both sides until just pink, about 2-3 minutes total, keeping them juicy.

Pour the cassava cream into the pan, mix, loosen with a little water if needed for the desired consistency, and gently simmer for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in most of the chopped cilantro.

Spoon the shrimp cream into deep plates, sprinkle with the remaining cilantro, and serve with hot white rice on the side.

Place lime wedges on the table so guests can add acidity to their taste, which beautifully highlights the coconut and palm oil aromas.