Akara

About This Recipe

Akara are one of the great street foods of Lagos and Yoruba culture — black-eyed peas soaked and peeled, then blended with peppers and onion and deep-fried into golden, crispy fritters. They are sold from dawn by akara sellers throughout Nigerian cities and are eaten for breakfast with ogi (pap/porridge) or bread. The fritters are crunchy on the outside, light and fluffy within, and entirely addictive.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 400 gdried black-eyed peas
• 1scotch bonnet pepper
• 1 mediumonion(roughly chopped)
• 0.5 tspsalt
• 300 mlvegetable oil(for deep frying)

Instructions

1. 1

   Peel beans

   Soak black-eyed peas in water 30 minutes. Drain, then rub vigorously between your hands to remove the skins. Rinse away skins. Repeat until most skins are removed.

2. 2

   Blend

   Blend peeled peas with scotch bonnet, onion and salt to a thick, fluffy paste. Add as little water as possible — the batter should be thick and airy.

3. 3

   Whip

   Beat the batter vigorously for 5 minutes with a wooden spoon to incorporate air — this gives the fritters their light, fluffy interior.

4. 4

   Fry

   Heat oil to 170°C. Drop spoonfuls of batter into the oil. Fry 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden.

5. 5

   Drain and serve

   Drain on paper towels. Serve hot with ogi (pap) or bread.

Variations

• •

  Add minced shrimp to the batter for a more luxurious version.

• •

  Bake at 200°C for 20 minutes as a healthier alternative.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Best eaten fresh. Reheat in an air fryer or oven at 180°C for 5 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions