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5.0 from 6 votes

Akara

Akara is a delicious fried snack composed of black-eyed peas originally from Nigeria, but also popular in West Africa and Brazil.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 40 akaras
Course: Appetizer , Snacks
Cuisine: African , Vegan , Nigerian

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dry black-eyed peas
  • 1 scotch bonnet pepper (or habanero pepper), deseeded and chopped (optional)
  • 2 shallots chopped
  • 1 beef stock cube , ground (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • vegetable oil (for frying)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Soak black-eyed peas overnight in a large pot of water.
  2. Drain and add water again to cover.
  3. Loosen black-eyed beans skins by rubbing the beans between your hands. Alternatively, you can speed up the process by putting the beans in the food processor with just a little water and pulsing briefly 3 to 4 times.
  4. Transfer the beans to a food processor. Add about ¼ cup (50ml) of water for every 2 cups of beans. Puree until smooth and creamy. You may need to add a little more water to reach the right texture. Add hot pepper and shallots and blend again.
  5. Put the bean paste in a bowl and mix well. Season to taste and mix again.
  6. In a large pan, heat vegetable oil to 370F/190C. Form balls of paste with a spoon and carefully dip them into the pan. Fry until browned evenly on all sides.
  7. Place on a dish lined with paper towel. Serve hot alone or with a dipping sauce.