Moqueca Com Pirao (Brazilian Shrimp Stew)

MrsKette's Note:

I translated this recipe, sent to me upon request by my brother Gildo Juarez who lives in Rio (Brazil). Unfortunately I am unable to translate his witticism… It is served with white rice and “pirao” (recipe follows). You can use fish instead of shrimp, by the way. CAUTION: Dende oil gives this dish its special flavor, BUT too much of it may cause “piriri,” a.k.a. Montezuma’s Revenge! (E-mail me if you have questions.)

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 0 mins
• Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 2 lbs large shrimp (reserve shells)
• 2 onions , sliced
• 3 tomatoes , sliced
• 4 garlic cloves , chopped
• 4 tablespoons dende oil (or olive oil if you can't find it)
• coconut milk , 100ml
• 1⁄8; teaspoon paprika (* see note at the end)
• cilantro and chives , chopped

Directions:

1. Saute onions, garlic and tomatoes in oil, in a clay pan if possible (http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/15240632.jpg). When onions are golden—about 15 minutes—add deveined and cleaned shrimp, and wait until it gets “red”—about 15 more minutes. About 5 minutes after you added the shrimp, add coconut milk and paprika. Before serving, mix in cilantro and chives.
2. Pirao: 700ml water; 1 onion, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, mashed with salt; pepper & salt to taste; reserved shrimp shells; dash of colorau *; 1 cup manioc flour. In a pan with lid, boil all the ingredients for about 15 minutes. Drain. Put liquid back in pan; when it boils turn to a simmer. SLOWLY add manioc flour, stirring constantly (as for polenta). It is ready when it starts thickening. (It doesn’t harden, but turns kinda gooey.).
3. * We actually use “colorau” (made mainly from “urucum” seeds); instead of paprika, a better substitute in my view is annatto seeds (http://www.overmundo.com.br/overblog/nosso-colorau-o-urucum). Saute annatto seeds in the dende oil, being VERY careful not to bun them; remove seeds and use the oil.