Acarajé

Name: Acarajé
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Brazilian
Ingredients: 2 cups dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight, skin removed; 1/2 white onion, finely minced; 2 green onion, finely chopped; 1/4 cup dried shrimp (ground); 1 tsp sea salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 4 cups vegetable oil (for frying); 1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth); 1 can coconut milk; 2 tbsp hot sauce (piri piri or similar)

Golden-fried black-eyed pea fritters served with spicy peanut sauce and hot sauce. A beloved Brazilian street food with crispy exterior and creamy interior.

40 minMediumServes 4280 cal/serving

BrazilianAppetizerStovetopStandard

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Ingredients

2 cups dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight, skin removed
1/2 white onion, finely minced
2 green onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup dried shrimp (ground)
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 cups vegetable oil (for frying)
1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth)
1 can coconut milk
2 tbsp hot sauce (piri piri or similar)

Instructions

1

After soaking overnight, drain 2 cups soaked overnight, skin removed dried black-eyed peas and rub between hands to remove as much skin as possible. Drain skins and pat peas dry.
2

Pulse drained peas in a food processor until finely ground but still slightly grainy, not smooth. Transfer to a bowl.
3

Fold in 1/2 finely minced white onion, 2 finely chopped green onion, 1/4 cup dried shrimp (ground), 1 tsp sea salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Let batter rest 10 minutes.
4

Heat 4 cups vegetable oil (for frying) in a heavy pot to 350°F. Test with a small piece of batter; it should sizzle immediately.
5

Using an ice cream scoop or wet hands, gently lower golf-ball sized portions of batter into the hot oil. Fry 3-4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown.
6

Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Keep warm in a 200°F oven while frying remaining batches.
7

For the sauce: whisk together 1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth), 1 can coconut milk, and 2 tbsp hot sauce (piri piri or similar) until smooth.
8

Serve warm fritters with peanut coconut sauce on the side for dipping.

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Questions

What is Acarajé?

Golden-fried black-eyed pea fritters served with spicy peanut sauce and hot sauce. A beloved Brazilian street food with crispy exterior and creamy interior. This reference files it under Brazilian appetizer: made on the stovetop, rated medium and about 40 minutes start to finish.

What temperature do I cook Acarajé at?

For Acarajé, the frying oil is held at 350 F (about 175 C) in step 4. Hotter scorches the outside before the inside cooks, and cooler turns it greasy. The oven is also used at 200 F (about 95 C) in step 6.

What should Acarajé look like when it is ready?

Go by the cues in the method rather than the clock. Step 5: cook until deep golden brown.

Why rest the batter for Acarajé?

Step 3 reads: "Let batter rest 10 minutes." The pause in step 3 lets the flour hydrate fully and the bubbles settle, which gives a more tender, even result.

Can I make Acarajé less spicy?

Yes. The heat in Acarajé comes from 2 tbsp hot sauce (piri piri or similar). For a milder plate, start with half the hot sauce and add more to taste at the end; nothing else in the method changes.

Which part of Acarajé can be done ahead?

Everything up to step 1. Step 1 is a built-in pause of overnight, or about 8 hours: "After soaking overnight, drain 2 cups soaked overnight, skin removed dried black-eyed peas and rub between hands to remove as much skin as possible." Do everything up to that point ahead of time and pick up at step 2 when you are ready to finish.

Serve it with

Vinagrete (Brazilian Tomato Onion Relish) sauce
Guarana Limeade Spritz drink
Caipirinha drink

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