Brazilian Akaraje. Photo credit: Wikipedia
Akaraje
Also known as “Acaraje”, Akaraje is a special dish made from peeled beans mashed into a ball and then deep-fried in palm oil. This protein-filled dish is very common in West Africa and Brazil. It serves as both a religious offering to the gods and street food.
Once cooked, each Akaraje ball is split in half and stuffed with a spicy paste made from shrimp, ground cashews, palm oil and other ingredients. It can be served with a variety of other foods, including stew, vegetables, and more. Akaraje is a Yoruba word meaning “bread” or “pastry”.
The growing popularity of these traditional African cuisines goes to show that the eating habits of African slaves had a lasting influence on food culture in the world.
Many of the food items that came from Africa during the infamous transatlantic slave trade have become the preferred ingredients for internationally recognized recipes.
