Sambar served with carrots, spicy and mouth-watering Indian dish Carrot sambar Yoghurt kebab served in pita with yoghurt sauce and fresh parsley Yoghurt kebab Spicy Pho served in a bowl, spicy rice noodle soup with fresh coriander and lime slices Spicy pho Smoked BBQ wild boar leg served Smoked BBQ Wild Boar Leg Chocolate and orange cake served Chocolate & orange cake Omurice bowl served with miso soup, omelette and miso soup Omurice bowl with traditional miso soup Freshly baked peach strudel Peach Strudel Momo with curry sauce steamed and served Momos with curry sauce Apple pie ravioli served Apple Pie Ravioli Kibbeh Nayyeh raw meat appetiser Middle Eastern style served Kibbeh nayyeh Chestnut tangsuyuk, crispy chicken with roasted chestnuts and sesame seeds Chestnut tangsuyuk Falukorv stuffed with mustard and onion, served with fresh coriander Baked Falukorv with mustard and onion Risi e Bisi served Risi e bisi Pav Bhaji with classic vegetables, served with fresh coriander and toasted rolls Mumbai street style pav bhaji Boiled sweet potato with chilli, spicy vegetable dish with coriander Boiled Sweet Potato with Chilli and Coriander Kebab in pita served Kebab in pita Freshly baked ciabatta rolls Homemade Italian ciabatta rolls Sacher waffles served Sacher waffles Golden baked cornmeal squares with visible chunks of white feta cheese Cheesy Cornbread (Proja) with Feta Misozuke, with fresh vegetables, in a miso paste marinade Misozuke Sambar served with carrots, spicy and mouth-watering Indian dish Carrot sambar Yoghurt kebab served in pita with yoghurt sauce and fresh parsley Yoghurt kebab Spicy Pho served in a bowl, spicy rice noodle soup with fresh coriander and lime slices Spicy pho Smoked BBQ wild boar leg served Smoked BBQ Wild Boar Leg Chocolate and orange cake served Chocolate & orange cake Omurice bowl served with miso soup, omelette and miso soup Omurice bowl with traditional miso soup Freshly baked peach strudel Peach Strudel Momo with curry sauce steamed and served Momos with curry sauce Apple pie ravioli served Apple Pie Ravioli Kibbeh Nayyeh raw meat appetiser Middle Eastern style served Kibbeh nayyeh Chestnut tangsuyuk, crispy chicken with roasted chestnuts and sesame seeds Chestnut tangsuyuk Falukorv stuffed with mustard and onion, served with fresh coriander Baked Falukorv with mustard and onion Risi e Bisi served Risi e bisi Pav Bhaji with classic vegetables, served with fresh coriander and toasted rolls Mumbai street style pav bhaji Boiled sweet potato with chilli, spicy vegetable dish with coriander Boiled Sweet Potato with Chilli and Coriander Kebab in pita served Kebab in pita Freshly baked ciabatta rolls Homemade Italian ciabatta rolls Sacher waffles served Sacher waffles Golden baked cornmeal squares with visible chunks of white feta cheese Cheesy Cornbread (Proja) with Feta Misozuke, with fresh vegetables, in a miso paste marinade Misozuke
Acarajé with prawns and black beans, served as golden brown fried balls
Crispy bean fritters filled with spicy Vatapá and fresh prawns

Acarajé with Prawns

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Main Courses Quick Meals
If you visit Bahia, the 'Baiana' (vendor dressed in traditional attire) will ask: 'Quente ou Frio?' (Hot or Cold?). This refers not to temperature, but to the heat of the chilli. This is the classic stuffed version, where the neutral bean fritter is brought to life by the salty, intense prawn filling (Vatapá or Caruru style). The pinnacle of Afro-Brazilian cuisine.
🕒 Prep Time 30 mins
🍳 Cook Time 30 mins
⌛ Total Time 1 hr
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 550 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Brazilian

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Food processor: For making the bean paste.
  • Frying pan: For sautéing the filling.
  • Deep pan or Fryer: For deep frying.

Allergen Information

⚠️ Crustaceans
⚠️ Gluten (if flour is used)

Instructions

1 ✓

Blitz the soaked, peeled beans and one of the onions in a food processor until creamy. Season with salt, then beat with a wooden spoon until light and airy.

Tip: Don't skimp on the manual beating! This makes the dough soft inside like breadcrumbs, rather than a dense dumpling.
2 ✓

Shape large quenelles from the bean mixture and fry them in plentiful hot oil until crisp. Remove and drain.

Tip: The hot oil forms an instant crust, protecting the fluffy interior structure.
3 ✓

For the filling, finely chop the other onion, garlic, and red pepper. Sauté in a little oil.

Tip: Thorough sautéing (sofrito) gives the filling its depth of flavour.
4 ✓

Add the prawns, curry powder, and salt. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until the prawns turn pink.

Tip: Prawn protein coagulates with heat; if 'C' shaped, they are perfect; if 'O' shaped (curled tight), they are overcooked.
5 ✓

Remove from the heat, squeeze over the lime juice, and stir in the fresh coriander.

Tip: Always add acid (lime) and fresh herbs at the end to preserve their freshness.
6 ✓

Cut the fried bean fritters in half and stuff generously with the prawn ragout.

Tip: Serve immediately whilst the dough is crisp.

Recipe FAQ

Why are the prawns tough?
You cooked them too long. Prawns cook in moments; if overcooked, they become rubbery.

Ingredients

  • 200 g Black-eyed beans (dried, skinned/peeled)
  • 300 g Prawns (peeled)
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 1 whole Red pepper (Bell pepper)
  • 2 whole Onions (one for the dough, one for the filling)
  • 1 tbsp Curry powder (optional seasoning)
  • 2 tbsp Fresh coriander
  • 1 whole Lime
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 200 ml Oil for frying
  • 1 tbsp Plain flour (only if needed for thickening)