Brazilian-Style Fish and Prawn Stew with Coconut and Peppers

Marinate the seafood. Toss the fish with half the lime juice, half the garlic and the salt and pepper, then toss the prawns separately with the rest of the lime and garlic. Cover and chill for 15-30 minutes, but no longer. Lime acid starts to firm and whiten the surface of the fish, so a short marinade seasons without turning it chalky.

Cook the rice. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then put it in the saucepan with the 450ml water and bring to the boil. Cover, cook on the lowest heat for 15 minutes, then leave it off the heat for 10 minutes. Rinsing removes loose starch, and the resting time lets the grains finish steaming into separate, fluffy rice.

Build the base. Heat 1.5 tbsp of the palm oil in the wide casserole over medium heat and soften the onion for 4-5 minutes. Add the peppers and chilli for 5 minutes, then the tomatoes for 3-4 minutes, until they begin to collapse. Layering the vegetables this way gives each time to soften and sweeten.

Simmer the sauce. Pour in the coconut milk, add the salt and half the coriander, and simmer gently for 8-10 minutes, stirring now and then. You want it slightly thickened and coating the vegetables. A gentle simmer keeps the coconut milk smooth, while a hard boil can make it split.

Add the seafood. Nestle the fish into the sauce in a single layer and spoon some sauce over the top. Cover and simmer gently for 3 minutes, then tuck in the prawns, cover again and cook for another 3-5 minutes. The prawns should be pink, curled and opaque, and the fish should flake easily and read at least 63°C in the thickest piece; adding it late keeps it in big, moist chunks.

Finish and serve. Drizzle with the remaining palm oil and scatter over the rest of the coriander. Bring the pot to the table and serve with the rice and lime wedges for squeezing.