Akara — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Crispy deep-fried fritters made from ground black-eyed bean paste seasoned with onions and peppers, a beloved Gambian breakfast and street snack.

Ingredients

2 cups black-eyed beans, soaked and skinned
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1 Scotch bonnet pepper
1 tsp salt
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Water as needed for blending

Instructions

1 Soak beans overnight, then rub between hands to remove skins. Rinse away loose skins.
2 Blend the skinned beans with onion, Scotch bonnet, and salt into a thick, smooth paste. Add minimal water.
3 Beat the paste vigorously with a wooden spoon for two minutes to incorporate air for fluffiness.
4 Heat oil to 180C in a deep pot. Drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil.
5 Fry in batches for three to four minutes, turning once, until golden brown and crispy.
6 Drain on paper towels and serve hot with spicy pepper sauce or tapalapa bread.

Did You Know?

The best akara makers in Gambian markets can shape and drop perfectly round fritters into the oil with just a flick of the wrist, producing hundreds per morning.