Acarajé [ɐkɐɾɐˈʒɛ] (
listen) is a type of fritter made from cowpeas. It is the most popular street food in the north eastern state of Brazil, Bahia. The recipe for acarajé was introduced to Bahia by slaves who came from Yorùbáland during the colonial period. In Nigeria acarajé is named Akara, and the women who sell it call out "Akara je", which means "Come and eat Akara" in Yoruba. So when freed Yorùbá slaves started to sell acarajé on the streets, they used the same technique and Brazilians assumed that they were selling acarajé.
