Acaçá facts for kids

Acaçá (pronounced Ah-kah-SAH) is a special food from Brazil. It's also called eko and comes from the Yoruba language. This food is very important in Afro-Brazilian religions, especially in ceremonies of Candomblé.

You can find Acaçá in several Brazilian states. These include Bahia, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Sul, and Rio de Janeiro. A religious leader named Pai Cido de Osun Eyin once said that "life is kept going and made new with the special offering of acaçá."

Acaçá is the only food that is always needed in Candomblé rituals. It is offered to all the orixás. Orixás are like spirits or gods in the Candomblé religion. Acaçá made from white corn is given to Oxala. Acaçá made from yellow corn is given to Oxossi.

How Acaçá is Made

Acaçá is usually made from white or red corn. First, the corn is soaked in water for a whole day. After soaking, it's ground into a smooth paste or dough.

This paste is then cooked in a pot. It needs to be stirred all the time until it gets to the right thickness. While it's still warm, small amounts of the dough are wrapped in a clean, folded banana leaf. Sometimes, these wrapped portions are passed over a fire.

If you don't have soaked corn, you can use finely ground white cornmeal instead. Once ready, the acaçá is cut into pieces of the same size. These pieces are placed nicely on a plate. This plate is then put on or near a pegi. A pegi is like a special altar in Candomblé. Acaçá is also used to decorate other ritual foods, like vatapá.

Acaçá Made from Black Beans

Acaçá de feijão-preto means "acaçá of black beans" in Portuguese. This is a different kind of acaçá. Instead of corn, it's made from black turtle beans.

The black beans are made into a paste, just like the corn. Then, this paste is wrapped in banana leaves. It is steamed in a pot. This type of acaçá is offered especially to the god Ogum. This black bean acaçá is linked to a Candomblé temple called Casa Fanti Ashanti. This temple is in São Luís, in the state of Maranhão.

Acaçá Milk Drink

Acaçá de leite means "acaçá of milk." This is a fermented drink used in Candomblé rituals. It's made from a thick corn mush. Milk and other flavors are added to it. Then, the drink is left to ferment.

You can find Acaçá de leite in Candomblé temples in Bahia and Rio de Janeiro. There's also a version called acaçá de leite de coco. This one is made with coconut milk. This coconut milk version is found in the state of Rio de Janeiro.