Acarajé — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Crispy golden fritters of mashed black-eyed peas deep-fried in dendê oil, split open and stuffed with vatapá, caruru, and dried shrimp — the iconic Afro-Brazilian street food of Salvador.

Ingredients

500g dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight and skins removed
1 large onion, roughly chopped
Salt to taste
Dendê oil for deep frying
Filling: 200g dried shrimp
200ml coconut milk
100g roasted peanuts, ground
2 tbsp dendê oil
1 onion, grated
3 cloves garlic
1 piece fresh ginger
2 malagueta peppers
Caruru: 300g okra, sliced
100g dried shrimp
2 tbsp dendê oil

Instructions

1 Soak black-eyed peas overnight. Rub vigorously to remove skins, then rinse until all skins float away.
2 Blend skinned peas with onion and salt into a thick, smooth paste. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon to incorporate air.
3 For vatapá filling: blend dried shrimp, coconut milk, peanuts, onion, garlic, ginger, and peppers. Cook in dendê oil until thick and creamy.
4 For caruru: sauté okra in dendê oil until soft, add dried shrimp and cook until thick.
5 Heat dendê oil to 180°C. Shape bean paste into oval balls using two spoons.
6 Fry in batches until deep golden and crispy, about 5 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels.
7 Split each fritter open, stuff with vatapá, caruru, and extra dried shrimp. Serve immediately.

Did You Know?

Acarajé has deep spiritual significance in Candomblé religion — it is a sacred offering to the orixá Iansã, and the Baianas de Acarajé who sell it are recognized by UNESCO as cultural heritage keepers.