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Brazilian

Bobó de Camarão (Bahian Shrimp Cassava Stew)

A creamy Bahian prawn and cassava stew finished with coconut milk, coriander, and dendê oil.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 1 September 2026Updated

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Bobó de Camarão (Bahian Shrimp Cassava Stew)

1 hrtotal

45 min hands-on15 min hands-off

Prep 20 min · Cook 25 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Medium
Spice
Mild
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Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Includes 10 minutes for seasoning the prawns and a short rest after simmering.

Method

  1. Boil cassava in salted water until very tender. Drain, remove any tough center fibers, and mash roughly.

  2. Season prawns with lime juice, salt, and black pepper. Rest for 10 minutes.

    10 min

  3. Heat half the dendê oil in a pan. Add onion and garlic, and cook until soft and fragrant.

  4. Add tomato and red bell pepper. Cook for 6–8 minutes until the vegetables soften into a saucy base.

    6–8 min

  5. Add mashed cassava and coconut milk. Stir until creamy and simmer gently for 8 minutes.

    8 min

  6. Add the prawns and cook for 4–5 minutes, just until they turn pink and firm.

    4–5 min

  7. Finish with remaining dendê oil and coriander leaves. Rest for 3 minutes before serving.

    3 min

How to tell it's done

The stew should be thick, creamy, orange-gold, and spoonable, with tender prawns.

Getting it right

Tip

Keep the final simmer gentle so the cassava stays creamy and the prawns remain juicy.

What to serve it with

Serve with steamed rice and a small spoon of farofa.

Common mistakes

The stew is stringy.
Pull out the tough fibrous core running through each piece of cassava after boiling, as the recipe says. It never softens, and one missed strand runs through the whole pot.
The prawns are tough.
They go in for four or five minutes at the very end and no longer. Everything else in a bobó is already cooked by that point, so there is nothing to wait for.

Substitutions

  • Use firm prawns for best texture; do not overcook them after adding to the stew.
  • If dendê oil is unavailable, use a small amount of neutral oil, but the Bahian color and flavor will be milder.
  • Cassava gives the correct body; potato will thicken the stew but changes the dish identity.

Storing and reheating

Keeps three days in the fridge and thickens considerably; loosen with coconut milk when reheating. It freezes for two months, though the cassava becomes grainy. Add the final dendê oil fresh each time.