Cala

Cala is one of Aruba's most traditional snacks, a small deep-fried fritter made from a batter of ground black-eyed peas. The peas are soaked, peeled, and blended into a thick paste, seasoned with onion, garlic, and a little hot pepper, then beaten until light and spooned into hot oil, where the fritters puff up golden and crisp on the outside while staying soft and fluffy inside.

Cala is street and bakery food, sold warm by the bagful and eaten out of hand. Many Arubans like it with a dab of hot pepper sauce (pika) for a savoury kick, and it makes a popular companion to a morning coffee or an afternoon snack. The recipe traces back to the West African food traditions that shaped much of the Caribbean kitchen, where black-eyed pea fritters appear under many names.

How it is eaten

Cala is enjoyed on its own as a snack, with hot sauce, and sometimes served alongside soup or a savoury meal. It is inexpensive, filling, and a true taste of old-fashioned Aruban home cooking.

• Because it is made from peas, cala is a naturally vegetarian snack, though it is worth checking the frying oil if that matters to you.
• Look for it at traditional bakeries and snack stalls around Oranjestad and San Nicolas.

If you spot warm cala at a bakery, grab a few with a little pika on the side. It is one of the island's most authentic everyday bites.