Acaraje

Ingredients:

Bean cake:
500g (1lb) black-eyed peas, set overnight in water to soften
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoonp dende (palm oil)
Deep-frying oil

Vatapa filling:
5 slices stale white bread (or manioc flour for gluten-free)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 green tomatoes
1 onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, miced
200ml (3/4 cup) coconut milk
50 ml (1/4 cpu) dende
1/2 cup cilantro, plus garnish
3 tablespoon minced ginger
2 tablespoon olive oil
salt, pepper, and cumin to taste

Vinaigrette dressing:
2 cloves garlic, miced
1 red onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 green tomatoes
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon vineager

Instructions:

To make the bean cake, first drain the softened black-eyed peas and blend with onion, salt, and pepper until creamy. Add more onion if necessary (not water).

Beat the batter with a spoon until it doubles in volume (10 minutes).

Pre-heat the frying oil to a low temperature, just enough to fry, so that the cake cooks evenly inside.

Mold the cakes in the palm of your hands into a large egged shape.

Deep fry in oil mixed with dende until golden brown and cooked inside (open in half for serving).

To make the vatapa, first leave the bread in half of the coconut milk to soften.

Beat the bread in the blender until creamy and set aside.

Saute onion in olive oil until golden, then add and garlic and ginger and stir for about 2 minutes.

Add salt and pepper to taste, and a teaspoons or more of cumin (optional).

Add tomatoes and red bell pepper, stir for 2 more minutes, then stir in the dendê (palm oil), cilantro, and the rest of the coconut milk. Stir until dissolved.

Take off the heat and garnish with more cilantro. Serve it inside the bean cake.

To make the vinaigrette dressing, mix all ingredients in a bowl and chill.

Serve on top of the vatapa.