Mojito recipe in Zulian coconut

The coconut mojito is a traditional dish of Venezuelan gastronomy; it is specifically prepared in the State of Zulia. This typical dish is made with white meat fish, previously boiled and then shredded, to which is added a sauce with various seasonings, which vary from house to house. The special ingredient for this version of mojito (because there are others in different regions of Venezuela) is coconut.

We bring you a delicacy of Venezuelan cuisine, so you can enjoy it during Holy Week or any other time of the year: Mojito in Zulian coconut. A Caribbean delicacy! The ideal garnishes for the coconut mojito are: white rice, baked plantains, fried plantains in ripe slices, green plantains or patacones, fresh white cheese, black beans, cassava, yucca, salad, among others. Good appetite!

Ingredients to make Mojito in Zulian coconut:

• 500 grams of dogfish
• 1 white onion
• 4 sweet peppers
• 1 ripe tomato
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 1 teaspoon of annatto (in grains)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon mustard pickles
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 pinch of salt and white pepper (to taste)

How to make Mojito in Zulian coconut:

1. We clean the fish and then cook it in a saucepan with water for 15 minutes. The water should cover the fish. Discard the foam that arises. After the time has elapsed, drain the dogfish and let cool at room temperature.
2. Tip: You can also steam the fish for 15 minutes.
3. Once the fish is cold, we crumble the pulp into a container. We remove any remaining spines, scales, or skin that we can find. We reserve and, immediately afterwards, we chop all the vegetables into squares.
4. In a frying pan, pour the oil, wait for it to heat up and add the annatto (preferably in grains). When the oil turns red, you can discard the seeds.
5. Tip: You can replace the onto with paprika or paprika powder.
6. Use the oil pigmented with the annatto to fry the chopped onion. Wait until it looks a little transparent and reddish to continue with the coconut mojito recipe.
7. Add the vegetables and cook for 5 minutes. Stir very well to fully integrate all the ingredients.
8. After the time, add the coconut milk, the pickles in mustard and salt and pepper everything. Wait 3 minutes before moving on to the last step.
9. Add the shredded fish pulp and lemon juice to the stew. Mix all the elements very well. The Zulian coconut mojito will be ready when it loses much of its moisture. Avoid stirring too much at this point, because if the meat of the dogfish breaks, it will turn into a dough.
10. Tip: The degree of moisture in the fish meat also depends on your taste.

Other variants of the zulian coconut mojito

As the recipes vary between each region and from family to family, here I propose some other extra ingredients that are also used in the preparation of the Zulian coconut mojito: sesame seeds, raisins, capers, peppers, celery, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, green olives, among others.

As for the fish, it must be white meat, some suggested are: dogfish, sea bass, sea bass, catfish, grouper, stingray or spotted stingray, manta ray, snapper and others.