Àkará (Bean Fritters)

Breakfast is so important. I feel having the right breakfast can dictate how your day goes. So last weekend Akara won over my big breakfast and I am glad it did. Everyone was asking for more. Lol!!!

Akara is a Nigerian breakfast or snack that is made with brown or black eyed beans.

 

Ingredients

100g of beans

1 red habanero pepper

1 onion

1tsp of parsley

Salt

½ a handful of smoked prawns

1 ½ stock cubes

½ a cup of warm water

Vegetable oil or Palm oil

You need to take the coats off the beans. The traditional way is to soak the beans overnight so it is soft but as a modern African woman mortar and pestle is not an option for grinding beans. Put the beans in a bowl; add some water and the dirt should float for you to separate. Repeat one more time or till when you’re sure it is clean.

Boil the kettle till it’s hot (not boiling) add hot water leave for 2-3 minutes, add cold water and wash.  You will see the bean coat floating rinse it off and repeat the process till its all white.

Put the washed beans, pepper, onion, smoked prawns, stock cubes and warm water in the blender then blend.

Make sure the mixture is thick and not runny. This is important when frying. Add the parsley, taste for salt if necessary and stir the puree.

Deep fry the puree, using a table spoon or an ice cream scoop and pour the puree in the oil.

The Akara should be flipped over when the underside is brown

When brown all over, remove and place on a plate or sieve lined with paper towel.

I love the way the parsley reflects on the Akara.

You can eat Akara with ogi, custard, tapioca, Agege bread or Quaker Oats. I went for tapioca.

I hope you try it out and let me know it goes

xxxx