Savor every bite of this tasty Akara (Nigerian Bean Fritters). It is perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It's made with peeled beans, onion, sweet red bell peppers, scotch bonnets and seasoning. Serve as a side with eko, ogi or agege bread.
Jump to:
Akara is a much-loved Nigerian snack known for its crispy skin and soft, fluffy filling. Made with peeled black-eyed beans blended with onions, spices, and sometimes peppers, this savoury bean fritter is deep-fried to a perfect golden brown. Simple yet flavorful, Akara is a staple in many Nigerian households and is often enjoyed as a breakfast item or street food, served alongside pap (ogi), garri and water or bread.
If you are an akara fan then you may also enjoy this moin moin, rice and beans or ewa agoyin.
Why This Recipe Works
- This Akara Recipe is foolproof and yields delicious results every time.
- It is very easy to double or triple this akara recipe to feed more people.
- You can also adjust the akara ingredients and seasonings to suit your taste.
- Akara is flavourful and can be served with various dishes.
Akara Ingredients
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Peeled beans: Use peeled black eyed or oloyin beans for this akara recipe. Ensure you soak them for a sufficient amount of time to ensure the batter is smooth when blended.
- Scotch bonnets: adjust the amount of scotch bonnets to suit your taste.
- Onion: Use white onions for this akara recipe.
- Knorr chicken seasoning: Use Knorr or Maggi to add flavor to the akara. You can adjust the amount to suit your taste.
Tips and Substitutions
- Add-ins: For extra flavor, you can add ground crayfish, finely chopped onions, or a small amount of tomato purée. These additions enhance the taste and give the Akara a richer flavor.
- Akara Batter: Ensure the batter has the right consistency it should be thick enough to hold its shape when frying. If it's too watery, the Akara may fall apart or absorb too much oil during cooking.
- Seasoning: Always taste the batter before frying the akara and adjust the seasoning as needed. You may want to add more salt or a seasoning cube (such as Maggi) to suit your personal preference.
How to Make Akara
Step 1: Soak your peeled beans in water for about 2 hours (or just follow the instructions on the pack if you're using store-bought peeled beans). Make sure the water sits about 2 inches above the beans.
Step 2: Once soaked, drain the water and toss the beans into a blender. Add some scotch bonnets (adjust to your spice level) and one onion.
Add about 3 to 5 tablespoons of water just enough to help it blend and blitz everything until you get a thick, smooth paste. The akara batter should be thick, not runny, so go easy on the water.
Step 3: Pour the blended akara batter into a bowl. Season with some Knorr chicken seasoning and salt to taste. Then whisk it using a hand mixer (or a spoon if you don't have a whisk) for about 2 minutes, until the batter looks nice and fluffy.
Step 4: Next, heat up some oil in a pot or deep pan enough for the akara to float.
Step 5: Once the oil is hot, scoop in small portions of the akara batter. Fry for about 5 to 7 minutes, flipping halfway, until they're golden brown on both sides. Don't overcrowd the pot give them space to cook properly. When they're done, transfer the akara to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up any extra oil.
Serve this delicious akara, aka bean cake, with hot pap or Agege bread for a classic Nigerian breakfast! You may also enjoy this Baked Moin Moin.
Recipe FAQs
Akara is a yoruba dish made from beans, peppers, onions and seasoining. It is fried in oil and is served as breakfast and street food.
Black eye beans, onions, water, maggi, salt, scotch bonnets and red bell peppers are the ingredients used to make akara.
Place akara in an air tight container and refridgerate for up to 4 days.
More Delicious Nigerian Recipes
Thank you for reading this recipe. Please comment below if you've made it and let me know how it turned out! Follow @simshomekitchen on Instagram, take a photo, tag and hashtag it with @simshomekitchen.
Stay connected and follow me for more recipes on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and TikTok for my latest recipes!
Akara
Equipment
- Blender
- Pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups of peeled black eyed beans
- 1-2 scotch bonnets
- 1 onion
- 1 red bell peppers
- 1 Knorr chicken cube or Maggi
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak the peeled beans in water for 2 hours, or follow the instructions on the packaging. The water should be two inches above the beans.
- Drain the water and add the soaked beans to a blender along with scotch bonnets and an onion.
- Add 3-5 tablespoon of water and blend until a thick paste forms. Make sure the akara batter is thick and not watery. Add just enough water to mix.
- Pour the batter into a bowl. Then season with Knorr chicken seasoning and salt to taste, and whisk with a hand mixer for two minutes or until fluffy.
- Add oil to a pot or deep pan. Make sure there is enough oil for the akara to float. Heat the oil on medium heat, then scoop the akara batter into the oil and cook on both sides for 5-7 minutes or until golden. Do not over-crowd the pot.
- Once the akara is done, place it on a plate with paper towels to soak up excess oil.
- Serve akara with pap or agege bread for breakfast.
Notes
-
- Add-ins: Feel free to add ground crayfish or a small amount of tomato purée to the akara batter to enhance the taste and give the Akara a richer flavor.
-
- Akara Batter: The akara batter should have the right consistency to ensure it holds its shape when frying.
-
- Seasoning: Taste the akara batter before frying and adjust the seasoning as needed. You may want to add more salt or a seasoning cube (such as Maggi) to suit your taste.
Leave a Reply