Akara Fried Chicken has definitely been one of my most requested recipes on Instagram. I actually had shot this since last week but ran out of cornflakes so i used that as an opportunity to double test the recipe.
As I type this, I have three versions of this recipe tested {pats self on back}. I tested the recipe with beans flour and no cornflakes, beans flour and corn flakes and finally freshly blended beans without corn starch but with cornflakes. The things we do as bloggers. What I noticed was the beans flour fried chicken came out lighter that the beans paste fried chicken. They were both fried at the same temperature. The beans paste fried chicken had more of an akara flavour while the other one was subtle. So it’s important to keep in mind the difference in using both.
If you are new to Nigerian cuisine and this is the first blog post you are stumbling on, welcome. Let’s talk about Akara a little bit. Akara is a fritter made from black eyed peas. It is a breakfast staple in Nigeria. You will however find roadside sellers frying it all day as people eat it beyond breakfast.
It is typically consumed with corn starch pudding called Ogi or with cassava grit called Garri soaked with sugar and water and sometimes milk. Some people also use it as a burger patty and eat it with Bread. If i were to compare the taste of akara to another dish on the international stage, I would compare the taste to falafel in Lebanese cuisine.
In Brazil, Akara is called Acaraje. It is fried in palm oil and served with a shrimp sauce. There is a strong Brazilian connection with Lagos Nigeria and you will often find some similarities in cuisines.
On the blog, I have previously shared a few akara experimental recipes in the past. I made Akara Fish tempura which has since become a party staple for a lot of small chops vendors. Another recipe I have also shared is Akara Pancakes which can be eaten at breakfast time and beyond.
I would say, you can try to skip the corn starch and replace with eggs instead. I decided to go with corn starch because in a traditional American style fried chicken, corn starch will feature.
However you will typically mix your akara mix, you can go for it when mixing in this recipe. You can also use my method for this recipe.
Recipe for Akara Fried Chicken
Ingredients
3/4 cups Beans Flour
1/2 bulb of Small Red Onion
1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper
1.5 Tablespoons of Corn Starch
1 teaspoon of Baking Powder
4 pieces of Chicken
1 cup of Cornflakes
Brine
2 Tablespoons of Salt
2 Tablespoons of Sugar
1.5 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce
2.5 cups of Water
Marinade
Half Teaspoon of the following:
Coriander
Cumin
Cinnamon
Oregano
White Pepper
Ginger Powder
Black Pepper
Salt
1 teaspoon of Paprika
2 Seasoning Cubes
3/4 Cup Water
Method
Wash and soak your chicken in the brine for 30 minutes.
Mix your marinade ingredients with one of the seasoning cubes and leave the second one for the akara mix and coat your chicken and allow to marinate for another hour.
Mix your beans flour, corn starch, baking powder, onions(this can be blended), seasoning cube, scotch bonnet pepper, corn flakes and 3/4 cup of water.
Heat up your oil, and fry the chicken on medium heat for 7- 9 minutes. Take out the chicken and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Deep fry again for another 10 minutes on medium heat, take out and pierce with a fork to make sure the juices are running clear and not bloody. Once its running clear. Take out and drain on a paper towel.
Serve your Akara Fried Chicken warm with your choice of sides.
The Chicken with Beans Flour no Cornflakes
Chicken with Blended Beans and Cornflakes
Chicken with Beans Flour and Cornflakes
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