Acaraje Black Eyed Pea Fritters With Shrimp Filling Recipes

ACARAJE BLACK-EYED PEA FRITTERS WITH SHRIMP FILLING

Steps:

• Make the filling by placing the onion, ginger, garlic, chilli, and some salt into food processor. Purée until smooth. Heat the oil in a frying pan and pour the purée into it. Fry for 5 mins or until cooked through. Add the prawns, tomatoes and chopped coriander. Squeeze in the lime and add salt to taste. Cook for 3 mins, or until the prawns have cooked through. Remove from the heat.
• Drain and rinse the black-eyed peas. Pour into a food processor with the garlic and chili. Purée until smooth. Scrape into a bowl and add the onion, flour, salt, chilli powder and baking powder. Mix and roll into 16 balls.
• Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Heat 8cm of the palm or vegetable oil in a wok or small heavy pan. When a small piece of bread sizzles, drop 4-5 balls into the oil. Fry until golden and crisp, about 4-5 mins. Drain on kitchen paper and repeat until they are all finished. You can keep them warm in the oven while you finish. Slice the fritters open down the centre and spoon the prawn filling in. Serve with hot sauce.

BLACK-EYE PEA FRITTER

Steps:

• In a bowl, cover the beans with water, and soak overnight in a cool or refrigerated place. After draining the beans, peel off the outer skins.
• In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the beans until the are finely ground. Turn the mixture out into a bowl.
• In the bowl of the same food processor, put the onion, garlic, and scallions; process until finely chopped. Add onion mixture to beans, and add the rest of the spices. Put the mixture into the refrigerator for 1/2 hour.
• Heat the oil to 350 degrees F, using a # 40 ice cream scooper or a tablespoon, drop the mixture into the oil, and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels or brown paper bags.
• Serve with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce.
• Put the yogurt, cilantro, cucumber, garlic, lime juice, and sugar in a bowl and mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Put mixture into the refrigerator until ready to serve.

BLACK-EYED PEA FRITTERS ("ACCARA")

Steps:

• For the fritters: Place two-thirds of the black eyed peas, 1/4 cup of water, the olive oil, salt and pepper in a food processor and blend to a smooth paste. Add the remaining peas and the scallions and pulse 4 or 5 times to break up the peas but not completely puree them. Scoop about a heaping tablespoon of the mixture at a time into your hands and form about 24 balls. (The balls do not need to be perfectly round--they are more authentic if roughly formed.) Put the cornmeal in a shallow baking dish. Roll the balls in the cornmeal, leaving them in the baking dish, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• For the sauce: Heat the peanut oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the habaneros and onions and cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt and black pepper. When the tomatoes start to break down and get soft, put a lid on the pan, lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Let the sauce cool slightly, and then blend in a food processor until smooth.
• Pour 2 to 3 inches of peanut oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil registers 375 degrees F. Fry the fritters, in 2 or 3 batches, about 4 minutes per batch. Remove to drain on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Season lightly with salt and serve with the spicy tomato sauce on the side.

BLACK-EYED PEA FRITTERS

Steps:

• Place the black-eyed peas in a large bowl with enough hot water to cover. Soak for at least 15 minutes (longer, even overnight, is fine), until the skins easily peel off when rubbed between the palms of your hands. Rub the skins off the peas, letting the skins float to the top. Slowly pour out the water and the skins with it, leaving the peas in the bowl. Repeat until all the peas are cleaned.
• Drain the peas and place in a food processor along with the onion, baking soda, salt, a splash of water and the black and red pepper, if using. Process until a smooth batter forms, adding a little more water if necessary. The batter should be smoothly blended, similar to the consistency of light hummus.
• Pour oil into a large cast-iron skillet or other heavy, straight-sided pan to a depth of 1 inch. Heat oil to 365 degrees over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and, using a spoon, carefully drop 1 tablespoon of batter into the oil. Repeat until there are several dollops in the pan, being careful not to overcrowd. Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes, turning the fritters once. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towel and keep warm. Repeat until all batter is used.
• To serve, split 1/4 baguette or a pita bread and fill with 3 or 4 fritters, a generous spoonful of pickled carrots, and some lettuce, tomato, onion and cilantro. (Alternatively, arrange accara, without the bread, on a platter and serve with drinks.) Serve immediately.

SHRIMP AND BLACK-EYED PEA "CROQUETTES"

Steps:

• Soak peas in water to cover by 2 inches at least 8 hours and up to 12. Drain in a colander.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 250°F. Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
• Pulse peas, onion, cilantro, peppers, and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor until finely chopped, then transfer to a bowl.
• Toss shrimp with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Press a scant tablespoon pea mixture around each shrimp, encasing shrimp in a thin even layer but leaving tail (and shell) exposed, then transfer to baking sheet.
• Put eggs and panko in 2 separate shallow bowls. Holding 1 shrimp by the tail, dip coated portion of shrimp first into egg, letting excess drip off, and then into crumbs, returning shrimp to baking sheet. Coat remaining shrimp in same manner.
• Line another baking sheet with paper towels. Heat 1 1/4 inches oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot (9 to 10 inches in diameter) until it registers 350°F on thermometer. Fry croquettes in 4 batches, turning over once or twice, until deep golden, 2 to 3 minutes per batch, transferring with a slotted spoon to paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Keep fried croquettes warm in oven while frying remainder, returning oil to 350°F between batches.
• Serve croquettes immediately.
• *Available at Latino markets and Sendexnet (866-736-3396; sendexnet.com).
• **Available at Asian markets, some supermarkets, and Uwajimaya (800-889-1928).