Akara

Name: Akara
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Gambia
Ingredients: 2 cups dried black-eyed peas; 1/2 onion, chopped; 1 scotch bonnet chili; Salt, to taste; Vegetable oil, for frying; Water, as needed

6 servings30 min prep20 min cookEasy Gambia

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of Akara

Akara, deep-fried black-eyed pea fritters, originated among the Yoruba people of West Africa and carried enormous historical significance: enslaved Africans brought the dish across the Atlantic, where it became Brazil's acarajé, a food central to Afro-Brazilian Candomblé religious tradition. In the Gambia it remains a popular street-food snack, part of the same wider West African akara family.

Ingredients

Scale:· 6 servings

2 cups dried black-eyed peas
1/2 onion, chopped
1 scotch bonnet chili
Salt, to taste
Vegetable oil, for frying
Water, as needed

Instructions

1Soak the black-eyed peas in water several hours or overnight, then rub between your hands to loosen and remove the skins, rinsing until the skins float off.
2Drain and blend the soaked peas with the onion, chili, and a little water into a thick, smooth, fluffy batter.
3Whip the batter vigorously by hand or with a mixer to incorporate air.
4Heat the oil in a deep pan.
5Drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil and fry 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through.
6Drain on paper towels and serve hot as a snack or with bread and pepper sauce.

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