Description
Delicious and fluffy Nigerian bean fritters made from soaked and peeled black-eyed peas, blended with peppers and fried to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (365g) dried black-eyed peas
- 1 medium red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1–2 habanero peppers, deseeded
- ½ medium red onion, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (60ml) water
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
- Optional: 1 teaspoon crayfish powder
Instructions
- Soak the beans. Place the dried black-eyed peas in a large bowl, cover with cold water by 3 inches, and soak for 6–8 hours. Drain completely.
- Peel the beans. Use the blender method or hand method to remove the skins from the soaked beans.
- Blend the batter. Add peeled beans, red bell pepper, habanero, half the onion, and minimal water to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Whisk the batter vigorously for 5–7 minutes to incorporate air.
- Heat the oil in a pot to 350°F (175°C).
- Fry in batches, dropping spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil, and fry for 4–6 minutes until golden brown.
- Serve immediately while hot, enjoyed plain or with pap.
Notes
Whisking the batter properly is crucial for achieving a light and fluffy texture. Akara freezes well and can be reheated in an air fryer or oven.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Nigerian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fritter
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg