Key Points
How to make Akara
Learn how to prepare your homemade Akara balls for free on Elistatus. Akara is a popular Nigerian snack that is usually eaten for breakfast and dinner. It is a simple staple food and it is very easy to prepare. It is also referred to as bean fritas or beanballs. Akara is a crunchy and delicious snack. The major ingredient used in the preparation of Akara is fresh beans paste.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of beans
- 2 large pieces of chilli pepper
- 1 medium-sized onion
- 4 pieces of prawns ( Big crayfish)
- Salt to taste
- Vegetable oil for frying
Equipment
- Medium-sized frying pan
- Blender
- Mortar and Pestle
Instructions
- First, wash the beans to remove the bean coats. After removing all the bean coats, soak the beans in water for about 2 hours. This will make the beans soft for grinding.
- Wash and chop the pepper and onions into sizeable pieces.
- Grind the beans, together with the pieces of pepper and onions. Do not add too much of water when grinding as this will make it difficult for your Akara balls to form well when it is time to fry the barter.
- Pour the vegetable oil into a medium-sized pan. Set the pan over medium-low heat.
- Put a sizeable quantity of the beans paste into the mortar. This should be the quantity you can fry at a go.
- Using the pestle, stir the beans paste in a continuous circle-like motion. This stirring technique will act as a leavening agent; causing the beans paste to rise.
- Stir the paste until it turns to a whitish colour.
- At this point, add a little water.
- Continue to stir until it forms a very consistent paste.
- Add salt to taste.
- Using a spoon, scoop the beans paste into the oil. The oil should not be too hot or the beans barter will scatter as soon as it hits the oil. Fry the Akara balls until they become brown on all sides. Stick the prawns into the frying barter before it forms completely.
- Remove the Akara balls from the oil and place in a sieve. Allow it to cool.
Serving
Akara can be served for breakfast or dinner. It is usually eaten with custard, akamu or agidi. Many persons like to enjoy this snack with freshly baked bread.
