Acarajé

Black-eyed pea fritters fried in palm oil with shrimp.

Ingredients

• 3 cups Black-eyed peas
• 1 Onion
• 2 tsp Salt
• 4 cups Red palm oil
• 1 cup Dried shrimp
• ½ cup Cashews
• 2 tbsp Ginger
• 3 Chilies
• 2 Tomatoes
• ½ cup Coriander

Method

1. Soak and peel — Soak the peas overnight, then rub off every skin — this is laborious but essential for a light fritter.
2. Grind — Blend with onion and salt into a thick paste with no liquid added.
3. Beat — Whip the paste hard with a spoon for 10 minutes until it lightens and holds air.
4. Make vatapá — Blend the dried shrimp, cashews, ginger and bread with palm oil into a thick cream.
5. Fry — Shape with two spoons and fry in hot palm oil until deep orange and crisp.
6. Acarajé is ready — Split open and fill with vatapá, salad and whole shrimp.

More Brazil recipes

• Picanha
• Moqueca
• Pão de Queijo
• Coxinha
• Brigadeiro
• Açaí Bowl