Make a quick shrimp stock: in a pot combine the Shrimp Shells with about 4 cups of Water, a halved Onions, a smashed clove of Garlic, a Bay Leaf and a pinch of Salt. Bring to a simmer, cook gently 20–30 minutes, then strain and reserve about 2 cups of the resulting Shrimp Stock.
Prepare the cassava: peel and cut the Cassava into chunks, boil in salted water until very tender (20–30 minutes), then drain.
Make the cassava base: mash the cooked cassava with about 1 cup of Coconut Milk and a splash of the reserved shrimp stock until smooth and creamy; set aside and keep warm.
Season the shrimp: peel and devein the Shrimp if needed and toss with Lime Juice, freshly ground Black Pepper and a little additional salt.
Sauté the aromatics: heat a tablespoon of Neutral Oil together with a tablespoon of Dendê Oil in a large skillet or saucepan. Add the remaining chopped onion and garlic (no need to re-bracket them), cook until translucent, then add diced Red Bell Pepper, chopped Tomato and a minced Malagueta Pepper to taste; sauté until softened.
Combine and finish: add the seasoned shrimp to the pan and cook just until they start to turn pink. Stir in the mashed cassava mixture and enough reserved shrimp stock to reach a silky stew consistency; let everything simmer gently for 5 minutes to meld flavors.
Adjust seasoning and garnish: taste and correct salt and pepper, then finish with a splash more coconut milk if you like it richer. Fold in chopped Cilantro and sliced Scallions just before serving.
Serve warm with white rice or crusty bread and, if desired, an extra drizzle of Dendê Oil for color and aroma.
