How to make Akara

How to make Akara

This popular Western Nigerian food is a popular holiday food especially in Kwanza. Vigna unguiculata are native to Asia, the Middle East, and perhaps Africa. In anciemt times, they were cultivated somewhere in the Mediterranean region.  And since then, they have been grown all over Africa. They are used to make a batter from which fritters are made in Western Africa These fritters are known by many names like as accra, akla, binch akara, bean balls, kosai, koose, kwasi and most importantly, akara. They are commonly prepared at home for breakfast or as appetizers or side dishes. They are also sold at fast-food restaurants and markets where they are already made.  This type of food is very healthy and easy to make. Here’s how:

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon of salt

2 cups of the cooking oil

1/2 cup of water

1 cup of finely chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

1/2 teaspoon of chili powder

 Scoop

1 egg

2 cups of black-eyed peas

First, place all black-eyed peas in a pot, fill it up with water and leave overnight.

Then, drain the beans of the water, remove the skin by rubbing them between your fingers, and wash thoroughly to remove any unwanted residue.

Grind the peas into a food processor until they become a thick paste, add water if necessary. You can also use a blender and set it to puree. Or something of a lower setting.

Next, whisk all the bean paste in a bowl for five minutes until it is incorporated with enough air. Make sure the bowl is big enough to give you room to whisk because your mixture will be thick.

Start adding the egg, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Beat until smooth and then fold in the onions. Just drop them all in and start using your spatula to fold them in.

Then heat up the oil and make sure it’s very hot. When it gets smoking, you’ve gone too far. Once the oil is hot enough for frying, you can start dropping the mixture in.

Use your scoop to make balls from the mixture then drop in the boiling oil. Make sure to make them all the same size so they can cook in uniform time.

Keep frying the balls until they are nice and brown. Make sure not to keep them frying too long because they’ll overcook and crumple. Take them out and dry on paper towels.

Keep this up until you finish the mixture. You can add meat to the mixture if you want. Enjoy your very own Akaras in any occasion. And, you can eat them everyday and feel guilt-free!

: