Celebrity chef Merrilees Parker became enthused with Brazilian cuisine after a trip to the South American country last year. 'All things Brazilian have become incredibly hip in this country over recent years, but the cuisine is still fairly unknown - so it's ideal if you're looking to throw an extra-impressive dinner party,' she says.

Merrilees has re-created some of her favourite dishes using easy-to-find ingredients from UK supermarkets and delicatessens - including this heartwarming stew. 'It's a mixture of indigenous Indian, African and Portuguese, which makes it a fantastic illustration of the foodie melting pot that is Brazilian cuisine,' she explains. 'Originally it would have been cooked in banana leaves over hot coals.'

King Prawn and Coconut Stew (Moqueca de Camarao)

Ingredients (to serve six)

1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped; 1-2 green finger chillies, de-seeded and finely chopped; 3 medium tomatoes, peeled, de-seeded and roughly chopped; 1 garlic clove, chopped; 1 small bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped; juice of 2 limes; 900g raw king prawns, peeled and de-veined; 1 tbsp olive oil, 300ml coconut cream To serve: coriander sprigs; 2 tbsp dende oil (optional – dende oil is a Brazilian palm oil and is available from specialist food shops)

Method

1. Place the onion, chillies, tomatoes, garlic, coriander and lime juice in a food processor with a generous pinch of sea salt. Blend to a purée then pour into a non-metallic bowl and add the prawns. Leave to marinate for 10 minutes.

2. Heat a wok or heavy-based casserole dish. Remove the prawns from the marinade and keep to one side.

3. Add the oil to the pan then add the marinade. Cook over a high heat for 2 minutes before adding the coconut cream. Bring to the boil then turn down to a simmer for 2 more minutes when the sauce should be well combined and slightly reduced.

4. Throw in your prawns and cook for 2 minutes, or until the prawns are just cooked through. Check the seasoning before removing from the heat.

5. To serve, pour over the dende oil and sprinkle over the coriander sprigs. Serve with bowls of steamed rice.

To find out more about visiting Brazil, go to www.braziltour.com.