Tear the White Bread into rough pieces and place in a bowl; pour enough of the Coconut Milk over the bread to cover and let it soak while you prepare the rest (reserve the extra coconut milk).
Toast the Peanuts and Cashews gently in a dry skillet until fragrant and lightly golden, then pulse or grind them to a coarse powder and set aside.
Soak the Dried Shrimp in warm water for 10 minutes to plump, then drain (reserve a little of the soaking liquid to thin the paste if needed).
In a blender combine the soaked bread with a splash of the reserved Coconut Milk, the ground nuts, the drained Dried Shrimp, chopped Onion, smashed Garlic, grated Ginger and one or two Malagueta Chili (adjust to taste). Add a little Fish Stock or the reserved shrimp soaking liquid to help everything blend into a smooth, thick paste.
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and warm a mix of Neutral Oil and Azeite de Dendê (palm oil) — the dendê gives the vatapá its characteristic color and aroma.
Add a handful of finely chopped Onion to the pan and sauté briefly until translucent, then spoon in the blended paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it becomes fragrant and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan (about 6–8 minutes).
Gradually stir in the remaining Coconut Milk and about a cup of Fish Stock, loosening the paste to a thick, creamy consistency. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 10–15 minutes until the flavors meld and the mixture is glossy and thick.
Season to taste with Salt. Add the Medium Shrimp and simmer just until the shrimp are cooked through (2–4 minutes), being careful not to overcook.
Remove from heat and stir in chopped Cilantro and a squeeze of Lime Juice to brighten the flavors. Adjust seasoning and heat if needed.
Serve the vatapá hot with steamed rice, farofa or as a filling for acarajé. Leftovers thicken as they cool—thin with a little warm fish stock or coconut milk when reheating.
