Akara beans. These fluffy delightful fritters are not only easy to make but come with three ingredients only. Black eyed peas, salt and a little bit of water. That’s it. Previously the most cumbersome part of making Akara is peeling the beans. Nowadays, simple tricks have reduced a 30 minute process to 10 minutes. Or you could just buy the peeled beans and make it even easier. Some even prefer blending the beans without peeling. I choose not to but you’re welcome to do so.
You want to start with dried black eyed peas, The canned beans should be avoided. To quickly peel the beans, which I promise will take you no more than 10 minutes.
Start by soaking the beans in room temp water for 3-5 minutes. Then transfer to a blender, add and pulse about 5-7 times. This miraculously cracks and peels the beans. Yes miraculously because I can’t imagine there was a time we reserved more than a half hour just to peel the beans.
Transfer entire content into a large bowl. Add some more water, give it a nice stir, the peels floats to the surface. Carefully pour through a colander ensuring the peeled bean stays at the bottom. Add more water and repeat this process until most of the peels are gone. You might have to pick out some skin but its okay to have some skin left.
Once peeled, soak the beans for about an hour or more so it softens. Then blend with just a little water. I use a food processor. Using a blender tempts you to add more water to ease the blending process. However, you run into a big issue of not getting a nice fluffy akara. If using a blender, blend small portions at a time.
AKARA BEANS BATTER
Once blended we aerate. Growing up my mother will do this in a large wooden mortar using a pestle. It’s quite the task and it will get your arms crying for help half way through.
Nowadays, a hand mixer is all you need. After a few minutes you’ll notice the batter increase in volume. Mine doubled so you keep going until you get nice , fluffy batter. It should stick to the mixer whisk when you lift it.
You can deep fry or pan fry. You choose. Either way, you’ll end up with this fluffy, fritters, known as akara in Cameroon. Perfect snack or appetizer to start a Cameroonian feast. Also a very popular street food.
Akara never disappoints. Enjoy with a side of pepper or a more mild sauce.
Akara Beans
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups black eyed peas
- 1 tsp salt
- ~1 Tbsp water
- Oil for frying (Canola, vegetable or palm oil)
Instructions
- Wash and soak beans for 3-5 minutes. Transfer to blender, add enough water to cover beans entirely, then pulse about 5- 7 times.
- Transfer content into a large bowl. Add more water. Stir to help peels float to surface, then strain with colander to remove peels.. Repeat the process two to three times or until most of the peels are gone. Soak beans for an hour or more to soften.
- After an hour or so ,add content into a food processor, or blender. Add salt , blend until just smooth (a little grainy) using just a little water.
- Pour into a large bowl. Use a hand mixer and aerate until batter doubles.
- Heat oil in deep, fry pan. Test with a small drop of batter to ensure oil is hot enough. Then using a large spoon, scoop batter and fry until golden brown. About 3 minutes on each side.
- Serve with pepper or any favorite savory dipping sauce
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