Akara is a Nigerian streetfood often sold on roadsides in the morning and evenings. It is made using peeled beans and peppers, which is blended and fried. Some fry their akara in red oil, but this recipe uses vegetable oil.
Ingredients
- 2 cups black-eyed beans (soaked in warm water for an hour or more prior)
- 1 medium red bell pepper
- 1 small scotch bonnet
- 1 onion
- 3 teaspoons seasoning powder of choice or equivalent
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
How to Make It
- Add black-eyed beans to a food processor with s-blade attachment, pulse a few times to peel the skin from beans.
- Pour beans into a bowl and add a generous amount of water.
- Drain the excess water and beans skin into a sieve, be careful not to pour out the actual beans.
- Add more water to the beans and repeat step 3 several times until beans looks generally peeled at least about 90% peeled.
- Add half of the peeled beans, half red bell pepper and half onions to a blender with ⅓ cup of water.
- Blend until smooth, batter will be thick in consistency.
- Pour batter into bowl and repeat steps 5 - 6 for remaining beans.
- Mix all beans batter together in a bowl, add chopped onions and add seasoning to desired taste.
- Pour oil into a deep, frying pan ensuring there is at least an inch of oil in pan and place on medium heat for about 3 - 5 minutes.
- Use spoon or ice cream scoop to scoop the batter onto the frying pan, a few at a time and allow to fry.
- Flip/turn over after 2 - 3 minutes to allow both sides to fry.
- Fry until golden brown on all sides, then transfer onto a bowl lined with a paper towel to drain oil.
- Serve as snacks or appetiser.
