Acarajé

Acarajé is a sacred street food of the Afro-Brazilian Candomblé tradition, sold by baianas de acarajé — women dressed in white lace — and offered as a ritual food to the orixá Iansã. The fritter is split open and stuffed with vatapá, caruru, and salted dried shrimp.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Fritter

• 500g (2½ cups) dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp (5g) fine salt
• 500ml (2 cups) dendê (red palm oil) for deep-frying

Filling

• 200g (7 oz) dried salted shrimp (camarão seco), rinsed
• 2 tbsp (30ml) dendê oil
• 1 small onion, finely minced
• 2 red chillies (malagueta), finely sliced
• 100g (3.5 oz) vatapá (Bahian shrimp paste, see note)

Instructions

1. Drain the soaked peas and rub between your palms to remove the skins. Rinse repeatedly until most skins have floated away, 10-15 minutes.
2. Blend the skinned peas and onion in a food processor until a thick, smooth paste forms, adding 2-3 tbsp water only if needed. The batter must hold its shape.
3. Beat the batter vigorously with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes to incorporate air — it should become lighter and slightly fluffy. Season with salt.
4. Heat dendê oil in a deep, heavy pan to 180°C (350°F). Using two large spoons, shape the batter into rough ovals and lower carefully into the oil.
5. Fry 3-4 fritters at a time for 5-6 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through. Drain on a wire rack.
6. Sauté minced onion and chilli in dendê oil for 3 minutes. Add dried shrimp and cook a further 2 minutes.
7. Split each hot fritter open without breaking it apart and fill with vatapá and the shrimp mixture.

Cook's Notes: Removing the pea skins is labour-intensive but essential — skin-on batter produces heavy, dense fritters. If dendê oil is unavailable, a small amount of annatto-infused neutral oil gives colour, but the flavour will be milder. Vatapá (a paste of bread, ground peanuts, coconut milk, and dried shrimp) can be made separately or bought at Brazilian speciality stores.