Bobó de camarão
Prawns folded into a thick cream of manioc and coconut milk, finished with dendê oil and coriander. A Bahian dish served with rice.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 1 hr 15 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- Mild
- Cost
- A bit special$16–28 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Bobó de camarão is a thick, golden purée of manioc and coconut milk with prawns stirred through at the end. The manioc is boiled soft and blended with coconut milk until smooth, then simmered with a base of onion, garlic, tomato and pepper cooked in olive oil. The prawns go in for three or four minutes only, and the dish is finished off the heat with dendê, the red palm oil of Bahia, and plenty of coriander. The dendê gives the colour and a deep, earthy flavour, and it is not optional. The texture should be a loose purée, thick enough to hold a spoon.
What you'll need
13 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
- Prawn, raw, peeled and deveined800 g
- Lime, juiced1
- Garlic, crushed; half for the prawns, half for the base4 clove
- Salt, 1 tsp for the prawns, the rest for the sauce9.9 ml
- Manioc, peeled, fresh or frozen600 g
- Coconut milk400 ml
- Olive oil30 ml
- Onion, finely chopped2 medium
- Tomato, chopped3 medium
- Bell pepper, red or green bell pepper, chopped1 medium
- Dendê oil44 ml
- Coriander, fresh leaves, chopped1 bunch
- Fresh chilli, malagueta or another small hot chilli, chopped (optional)1
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Toss the prawns with the lime juice, half the garlic and 1 tsp salt and keep them in the fridge while you cook the manioc.
5 min
Step 2
Boil the manioc in unsalted water for 25 to 30 minutes until very soft. Drain, keeping a cup of the water, and pull out the fibrous core. Blend it with the coconut milk to a smooth, thick cream, loosening with some of the cooking water if needed.
35 min
Step 3
Heat the olive oil in a wide pan and cook the onion for 5 minutes, then add the remaining garlic, the pepper and the tomato and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until soft and jammy.
15 min
Step 4
Stir in the manioc cream and the remaining salt and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often so it does not catch. It should be thick but pourable; add a little water if not.
5 min
Watch: Manioc cream spits as it thickens. Keep the heat low and stir from the bottom.
Step 5
Add the prawns and their juices and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until just pink and curled.
4 min
Step 6
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the dendê, coriander and chilli if using. Taste for salt and serve with white rice and farofa.
2 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 552 kcal
- Protein
- 36.3 g
- Carbs
- 49.4 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Saturated fat
- 16.4 g
- Fibre
- 5.4 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 825 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Shellfish
- Pescatarian
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 12 November.
Substitutions
Dendê → Annatto-infused oil, as a last resort
It gives the colour but not the flavour. Look for dendê in Brazilian or West African shops first.
Tips
- Frozen peeled manioc saves time and blends smoother.
- If your prawns came with shells and heads, boil them in the manioc water for a stronger seafood flavour.
History & culture
It is Bahian, from Salvador and the Recôncavo, cooked alongside moqueca and vatapá in the Afro-Bahian kitchen. It is a weekend lunch for family and guests and a regular on restaurant menus along the coast. It is served with white rice and farofa, and often a little pepper sauce made with malagueta chillies.
The name is usually traced to West Africa, where cooks thickened stews with mashed yam; in Bahia, manioc took the yam's place. The African oil palm that gives dendê came to Bahia through the slave trade and was planted along the coast in the colonial era. Coconut milk, prawns and a Portuguese-style sofrito complete a dish that draws on three continents.
Traditional — Some Bahian cooks press their own coconut milk from fresh coconut and cook the prawns in a stock made from their shells. Tinned coconut milk is the everyday choice and is written here.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Bobó de camarão take?
1 hr 15 min all in — 30 min prep, 45 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 6 people. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Medium.
How spicy is it?
Mild.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Shellfish. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Pescatarian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free.
7 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
A bit special — about $16–28 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Saucepan, Blender, Dutch oven, Chef's knife.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 2 tsp (1 tsp for the prawns, the rest for the sauce).
What can I use instead?
Dendê → Annatto-infused oil, as a last resort. It gives the colour but not the flavour. Look for dendê in Brazilian or West African shops first.
What should I watch for?
Manioc cream spits as it thickens. Keep the heat low and stir from the bottom.
Any tips from this recipe?
Frozen peeled manioc saves time and blends smoother. If your prawns came with shells and heads, boil them in the manioc water for a stronger seafood flavour.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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