Akara, also known as Nigerian Bean Cakes, is a popular Nigerian street food made from ground black-eyed beans. It is deep-fried and typically enjoyed as a snack or breakfast item.
You can also use the normal brown beans to make akara if the black eyed white beans is not available for you. Here’s a simple recipe to prepare Akara:
COOKING INGREDIENTS
Black-eyed peas
Crayfish
Onion
Scotch bonnet peppers
Salt
Vegetable oil for frying
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Soak the peeled black-eyed peas in water overnight or for two hours. This helps soften them for easy grinding.
Drain the soaked black-eyed peas. Add the washed scotch bonnet peppers, crayfish and onions.
Transfer them to a blender, food processor or a grinding machine. Add a little water, just enough to help with blending, and blend until you achieve a smooth batter.
Transfer the batter to a mixing bowl and add salt and seasoning cubes.
Mix well to incorporate the ingredients evenly into the batter and until the batter becomes airy and fluffy.
Place a deep frying pan or pot on medium-high heat and pour in enough vegetable oil to deep-fry the Akara.
Allow the oil to heat up. To test if the oil is hot enough, drop a small amount of batter into the oil. If it sizzles and rises to the surface immediately, the oil is ready for frying.
Take a spoonful of the Akara batter and carefully drop it into the hot oil. Repeat the process, adding more spoonfuls of batter, but make sure not to overcrowd the pan to maintain an even temperature.
Fry the Akara until it turns golden brown on one side, then flip it over using a slotted spoon or tongs to fry the other side. Fry until both sides are evenly cooked and golden brown.
Once cooked, remove the Akara from the oil using a slotted spoon and transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels. The paper towels will help absorb excess oil.
Repeat the frying process with the remaining batter until all the Akara is cooked.
Akara can be enjoyed on its own as a snack, or you can serve it with bread, pap (ogi), or as a side dish with a dipping sauce like pepper sauce or tomato sauce.
Akara is typically deep-fried, but if you prefer a healthier option, you can also try pan-frying them in a non-stick pan with a little oil until they are cooked through and golden brown. Enjoy your freshly made Akara!
