Tapado Garifuna, a Caribbean Seafood Stew

Published on April 6, 2020 | By
tapado

Years ago I visited the coast of Guatemala. The Garifuna people, originally from Africa, have influenced the cuisine there by incorporating coconut milk, plantains and yucca into their stews which is unlike many of the corn based stews and soups of the Mayans.

Tapado, an Afro Caribbean seafood soup, combines fish, shrimp, and other shellfish such as lobster, scallops, and clams, with coconut milk to produce a thick, rich and slightly sweet concoction. This soup is traditionally served along the banana coast on the Caribbean particularly in Guatemala and Honduras.

Great for lunch or dinner and gluten free!

    • Prep Time
    • Minutes
    • Cook Time
    • Minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs of firm white fish
  • 1 lb of shrimp, peeled
  • 3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 jalapeños, minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup of cilantro, chopped
  • 2 TBSP cooking oil
  • 2 cups of water or seafood stock
  • 1/2 tsp achiote
  • 1 green plantain, sliced
  • 1 cup of yucca, cubed
  • 1-13oz can of coconut milk
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • pinch of cayenne
  • 2 TBSP of cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Make a "sofrito" by sautéing the tomato, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic and red pepper in oil on medium to low heat until wilted and well cooked.
  2. Add the achiote to the warm stock so it can dissolve. Whisk the seafood stock or water slowly into the cooked vegetables. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer.
  3. Add the sliced plantains, yucca, and sweet potatoes and simmer for 30-45 minutes until all vegetables are tender. Pour coconut milk into the mixture and stir to combine.
  4. Season with salt, pinch of pepper and oregano.
  5. Add fish and shrimp or other shellfish about 15 minutes before serving. Allow the fish and shellfish to poach in the soup until done. In Guatemala the soup was served with a small fried fish on top of the soup. Sprinkle with a little more chopped cilantro and serve immediately.
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