Recipes
Acarajé Com Camarão (Black-Eyed Pea Fritters With Shrimp)
Generously stuffed with seafood, peanut sauce, and salsa, this coastal Brazilian street snack is sure to satisfy.
- Makes
About 24
- Time
1 hour 15 minutes, plus soaking
“If you find yourself on a beach in Brazil, you’ll likely see baianas de acarajé—Black Bahian women selling acarajé among other street foods. Donning billowy white dresses and intricate jewelry, these women prepare the beloved handheld black-eyed pea fritters brimming with shrimp and a host of savory sauces day in and day out. In this recipe, Seattle chef Emme Ribeiro Collins sticks to tradition by making her own nutty vatapá paste and fresh vinagrete (Brazilian-style pico de gallo salsa) and using plenty of dendê oil (red palm oil), Brazil’s distinctive crimson-colored version of the liquid gold. It’s available in most international grocery stores and online, and makes this a dish truly worthy of the deities.” —Kayla Stewart
Featured in “These Chefs Want You to Pay Attention to Afro Brazilian Food” by Kayla Stewart.
Ingredients
For the vinagrete:
- ½ cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 4 Roma tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 small green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- Kosher salt
For the vatapá:
- One 13.5-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 cup salted roasted peanuts
- One 2-in. piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
- ½ small yellow onion, coarsely chopped
- 3 Tbsp. dendê oil (red palm oil)
- 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- Kosher salt
For the camarão refogado:
- 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp. dendê oil (red palm oil)
- 1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- One 1-in. piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- Kosher salt
For the acarajé:
- 2½ cups (1 lb.) dried black-eyed peas
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- Kosher salt
- Dendê oil (red palm oil), for frying
ADVERTISEMENTADAD
Instructions
Step 1
Make the vinagrete: In a large bowl, stir together the cilantro, oil, vinegar, tomatoes, bell pepper, and onion until well combined. Season to taste with salt, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Step 2
Make the vatapá: In a blender, purée the coconut milk, peanuts, ginger, and onion.
Step 3
In a medium pot over medium heat, stir together the oil and flour and cook until the mixture just begins to change color, about 30 seconds. Add the coconut milk mixture, turn the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt, then remove from the heat and set aside.
Step 4
Make the camarão refogado: To a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter and oil. When the foam subsides, add the shrimp, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are pink, opaque, and cooked through, 3–5 minutes. Season to taste with salt, then remove from the heat and set aside.
Step 5
Make the acarajé: To a large bowl, add the black-eyed peas and enough cold water to cover. Set aside to soak for 1 hour.
Step 6
Rub the peas between your hands to remove any husks. Drain in a colander, discarding any husks. Rinse out and dry the bowl, then set aside. Transfer the peas to a food processor, add the onion and pulse, scraping down the sides as needed, until smooth and fluffy, 3–4 minutes. Season to taste with salt, then transfer the black-eyed pea batter to the clean bowl. Using a large wooden spoon, beat until thick and aerated, 1–2 minutes.
Step 7
Into a large skillet fitted with a deep-fry thermometer, pour 1½ inches of oil and turn the heat to medium-high. When the temperature reaches 325°F, working in batches to avoid crowding, use two spoons to carefully drop dollops (2–3 tablespoons each) of the batter into the oil. Fry, turning once with a slotted spoon, until golden brown and cooked through, about 6 minutes total. Using the slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining batter, making sure to return the oil to temperature between batches.
Step 8
Split each acarajé in half, fill with the vatapá, camarão refogado, and vinagrete, and serve immediately.
- Make the vinagrete: In a large bowl, stir together the cilantro, oil, vinegar, tomatoes, bell pepper, and onion until well combined. Season to taste with salt, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Make the vatapá: In a blender, purée the coconut milk, peanuts, ginger, and onion.
- In a medium pot over medium heat, stir together the oil and flour and cook until the mixture just begins to change color, about 30 seconds. Add the coconut milk mixture, turn the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt, then remove from the heat and set aside.
- Make the camarão refogado: To a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter and oil. When the foam subsides, add the shrimp, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are pink, opaque, and cooked through, 3–5 minutes. Season to taste with salt, then remove from the heat and set aside.
- Make the acarajé: To a large bowl, add the black-eyed peas and enough cold water to cover. Set aside to soak for 1 hour.
- Rub the peas between your hands to remove any husks. Drain in a colander, discarding any husks. Rinse out and dry the bowl, then set aside. Transfer the peas to a food processor, add the onion and pulse, scraping down the sides as needed, until smooth and fluffy, 3–4 minutes. Season to taste with salt, then transfer the black-eyed pea batter to the clean bowl. Using a large wooden spoon, beat until thick and aerated, 1–2 minutes.
- Into a large skillet fitted with a deep-fry thermometer, pour 1½ inches of oil and turn the heat to medium-high. When the temperature reaches 325°F, working in batches to avoid crowding, use two spoons to carefully drop dollops (2–3 tablespoons each) of the batter into the oil. Fry, turning once with a slotted spoon, until golden brown and cooked through, about 6 minutes total. Using the slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining batter, making sure to return the oil to temperature between batches.
- Split each acarajé in half, fill with the vatapá, camarão refogado, and vinagrete, and serve immediately.
Keep Reading
Continue to Next Story
ADVERTISEMENTADAD
