Brazilian Abara Recipe
This Brazilian Abara recipe is a popular Brazilian snack that is easy to prepare and made with just a few ingredients.
Abara da Bahia is typically made using black eyed peas which are a staple ingredient in the preparation on many traditional Brazilian foods. The Brazilian Abara dish originates from Africa where it is ubiquitous amongst African people and their culture.
This Abara snack is unique because the bean dough is wrapped in a banana leaf and then steamed instead of boiled or fried. An example is the Brazilian Acaraje snack which is very similar but fried as opposed to steamed.
If you’re looking for a Brazilian typical dish that can be enjoyed any time of the day then Abara is the perfect comfort food.
African Abara
The African Abara recipe is similar to the Brazilian Abara, This staple food actually originated in Africa and was brought to brazil during the slavery era. The Africans in brazil would prepare the Abara during celebrations and ritual events. This food is now a staple amongst the African and Brazilian cultures and is enjoyed on a daily basis.
Ready To Make This classic and traditional Brazilian Abara Recipe? Let’s do it!
Ingredients For Brazilian Abara
- 3 cups black-eyed peas (500 grams), dry
- 1 cup shrimp, skinned and pat dry
- 1 tablespoon ginger powder, or grated
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts or cashews
- 2 medium onion, chopped into pieces
- 1/4 cup oil or azeite de dendê (56 grams)
- 1/4 cup water (60 grams)
- 1 bushel parsley
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small chili pepper, seeds removed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
How To Make Brazilian Abara?
- Add the dried black eyed peas into a blender and pulse 15-20 times, this will split the peas and separate the shell. You can also use deshelled black eyed peas if they sell them in your grocery store.
- Place the pulsed black-eyed peas into a bowl and fill it with water. The pea shells will immediately rise to the surface. Remove and discard all the shells.
- Repeat this process 3-4 times by using fresh water. Once all the pea skin is all removed, transfer the deshelled peas into a bowl and add enough water to cover it.
- Allow the black-eyed beans to soak for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Strain the peas and set them aside.
- Add the onions, parsley, chili pepper, salt, roasted peanuts, salt, ginger, minced garlic, half the shrimp, and water then blend until puree. Set aside.
- Add the black eyed peas into a food processor and blitz until pastry dough is developed. You can mash the beans with a potato masher. The dough needs to be smooth.
- Transfer the Abara dough into a large dough
- Add some of the liquid mixture and stir together using a wooden spoon or spatula, then add the oil and stir to combine. Add the remaining liquid mixture along with the remaining shrimp and mix together until combined.
- Fill each banana leaf with 2-3 tablespoons of the Abara dough and wrap.
- Add water to your double boiler, then add the Abara.
- Steam on medium high heat for about 30 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Brazilian Abara Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups black-eyed peas 500 grams, dry
- 1 cup shrimp skinned and pat dry
- 1 tablespoon ginger powder or grated
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts or cashews
- 2 medium onion chopped into pieces
- 1/4 cup oil or azeite de dendê 56 grams
- 1/4 cup water 60 grams
- 1 bushel parsley
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 small chili pepper seeds removed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add the dried black eyed peas into a blender and pulse 15-20 times, this will split the peas and separate the shell. You can also use deshelled black eyed peas if they sell them in your grocery store.
- Place the pulsed black-eyed peas into a bowl and fill it with water. The pea shells will immediately rise to the surface. Remove and discard all the shells.
- Repeat this process 3-4 times by using fresh water. Once all the pea skin is all removed, transfer the deshelled peas into a bowl and add enough water to cover it.
- Allow the black-eyed beans to soak for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Strain the peas and set them aside.
- Add the onions, parsley, chili pepper, salt, roasted peanuts, salt, ginger, minced garlic, half the shrimp, and water then blend until puree. Set aside.
- Add the black eyed peas into a food processor and blitz until pastry dough is developed. You can mash the beans with a potato masher. The dough needs to be smooth.
- Transfer the Abara dough into a large dough
- Add some of the liquid mixture and stir together using a wooden spoon or spatula, then add the oil and stir to combine. Add the remaining liquid mixture along with the remaining shrimp and mix together until combined.
- Fill each banana leaf with 2-3 tablespoons of the Abara dough and wrap.
- Add water to your double boiler, then add the Abara.
- Steam on medium high heat for about 30 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!