Caldo de Camarâo de Cabo Verde (Cape Verdean Prawn Stew)
Caldo de Camarâo de Cabo Verde (Cape Verdean Prawn Stew) is a traditional Cape Verdean recipe for a classic stew of prawns, onions, bananas, cassava and potatoes in a tomato and prawn stock base. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Cape Verdean version of: Cape Verdean Prawn Stew (Caldo de Camarâo de Cabo Verde).
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This recipe uses potatoes, known in Cape Verde as batata inglesa (English potatoes) — elsewhere in Africa they are typically referred to as 'Irish Potatoes' to distinguish them from Sweet Potatoes.
Ingredients:
2kg prawns (preferably freshwater prawns)
1 onion, sliced into thin rings
2 garlic cloves
1kg ripe tomatoes, chopped
500g green bananas, peeled and cut into rings
1kg cassava, peeled and cubed
1kg potatoes, scrubbed clean and peeled
50ml olive oil
4 grains of paradise, ground in a mortar
salt, to taste
Method:
Wash the prawns. Bring a pan of salted water to a boil add the prawns and cook for about 4 minutes, or until just pink. Drain and allow the prawns to cool then peel them (reserve the heads and cooking water).
Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the onion and fry for about 6 minutes, or until soft and lightly browned. Add the peeled prawns and the garlic and fry gently for a few minutes.
In the meantime, beat the prawn heads with a little of the reserved cooking water. Bring to a simmer in a pot then strain the liquid from the heads and add to the prawn and onion mix.
Stir in the tomatoes along with the bananas, cassava, potatoes and grains of paradise. Add a little water if needed, bring to a simmer and cook for about 40 minutes, or until the ingredients are tender.
Adjust the seasoning to taste and serve turned into a large serving bowl.
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