Caruru (Okra & Shrimp Stew)
This is the kind of Brazilian dinner you’ll make on repeat — okra and shrimp, 45 minutes, big payoff.
✓ USDA-verified nutrition data
320 calories
27g protein
25g carbs
14g fat
6g fiber
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb Okra
- 0.75 lb Shrimp
- 0.5 cup Peanuts
- 0.25 cup Cashews
- 3 tbsp Red palm oil
- 1 Onion
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 0.5 cup Cilantro
- 1 Lime
- 2 tsp Salt
Steps
- Slice the okra into thin rounds. Toss with the lime juice and a teaspoon of salt and rest 15 minutes — the acid tames okra’s slipperiness, which is exactly what you want controlled here.
- Grind the peanuts and cashews to a coarse meal in a food processor. They thicken the stew and add a deep, toasty backbone.
- Cook the chopped onion and garlic in the palm oil for 8 minutes, then add the okra and cook 10 minutes, stirring, until it softens and the sliminess cooks down.
- Stir in the ground nuts and 1.5 cups of hot water. Simmer 15 minutes, until thick and stewy.
- Add the shrimp and simmer 5 minutes until pink and curled. Season boldly with salt.
- Shower with cilantro and serve over white rice or as the filling for acarajé — caruru is the beating heart of Bahian street food.