• Akara Recipe (Bean Cake)

    So I have to admit that for the first time in my life this week, I made akara. I find that with cooking, I know the motions, the steps, the ingredients but most dishes I have mentally prepared and not physically. Ok I think I am getting to philosophical all on top akara lol. But yes I did have fun making it and I have been going back to the fridge morning, snack, afternoon, snack and night and pacing myself to finish it. I mean it would just be easier to sit with the bowl and finish everything but what would I have to look forward to? Anyhow, the point is it was amazing. I made a few mistakes but I was able to rectify it quickly once I saw what the problem was. My mistake was adding to much water to the beans when blending but i quickly rectified that by patiently scooping out some of the water by using a spoon to press on the mixture till water drains into the spoon. The key to light, fluffy akara is the water measurement. You are meant to blend the beans to a paste not a full mixture. I hope you enjoy making it as much as I did. *runs back to the fridge to steal another piece*

    Recipe for Akara

    Ingredient

    2 cups of beans (use black eyed peas for best results)

    1 small bulb of chopped onions

    2-3 chopped small scotch bonnet peppers

    Shrimps (optional- you can include any protein of your choice)

    Vegetable Oil for frying

    Seasoning

    Salt

     

    Method

    Wash and Soak your beans overnight in a bowl of water.

    Wash the beans till the skin has peeled off.

    washing beans for akara

    Blend the beans with a little water till it forms a paste.

    Pour your paste in a bowl and with a wooden spoon, whisk the paste till the mixture is light and fluffy

    Add your seasoning, salt, chopped shrimps, chopped onions and pepper. (You can also choose to blend the onion and pepper and mix it in.)

    Heat oil till moderately hot,scoop paste with a spoon and drop immediately.

    frying akara

    Fry till golden brown and serve with Bread, Custard, Pap, or Garri.

    akara recipe nigerian bean cake

     

    akara and garri

     

    brazil bean cake

     

    akara

    10 comments on “Akara Recipe (Bean Cake)”

    1. Pingback: 5 Clever Uses For Beans…. | simbiatyusuff

    2. Pingback: Ekuru and Ata Din Din | Afrolems | Nigerian Food Recipes |African Recipes| Nigerian Food Blog

    3. Fatima Reply

      Nice! Using a wooden spoon to lightly beat up the mixture will make the results fluffier.

    4. Hadiza Oyediran Reply

      I put all my ingredients and the already peeled beans including the seasoning and salt together and blend, this makes the paste to be more fluffy. If I need to add any other ingredients, I can also do that after the blending.

      • afrolems Reply

        some people use a food processor at medium speed. I have not personally tried it but from others it seems to help peel the beans

      • Daisy Reply

        I try pouring water into the beans and take it out almost immediately. This doesn’t allow water stay in the beans allowing it swell into the skin. So rubbing the skin off the beans becomes way easier

    5. Pingback: Beans Pottage and Plantain Nigerian Food Recipe

    6. Chidinma Reply

      When I try to fry it but becomes flat in the oil,what could be the problem? I don’t get good results?

      • afrolems Reply

        Hello Chidinma, I am not sure what you are doing wrong but right off the bat, i’d say don’t add too much water when blending. That could make the mix too watery and produce flatter puffs

    Leave A Reply

    Your email address will not be published.

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.