Deep-fried bean fritters are popular in many cultures, including falafel in the Mediterranean, southern fried pinto bean fritters here in the United States and vada or vadai in India. These akara, black-eyed pea fritters, are yet another amazing recipe to add to that delicious list.
What is akara?
Akara are golden, crunchy, puffy bean fritters, often made with cowpeas or black-eyed peas, from the West African region, which includes countries like Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Ghana, among others. Akara is usually eaten stuffed inside bread, like a burger, or with a cornmeal porridge called pap, for breakfast. Versions of akara are also eaten in the Caribbean and in Brazil, which are home to large populations of people of African origin. In Brazil, where they are sold as street food, they are called Acarajé. If you love black-eyed peas in breakfast recipes or as a snack, be sure to try out these vegan black-eyed pea cakes and these black-eyed peas sweet potato pancakes.
Why you will love this recipe
Full-bodied flavor and texture. This is a simple recipe but it is big on taste and crunch. Five ingredients. You need just a few ingredients to make this akara recipe and you likely already have them in your pantry. Friendly to all diets. This is a gluten-free recipe and it is also soy-free, nut-free and vegan. Easy to make. The batter comes together in the food processor and all you need to do is drop blobs of it in the hot oil.
Ingredients
Dried black-eyed peas. These have a delicious sweet, nutty flavor that works nicely in these fritters and adds the most authentic flavor. Red onion. Yellow onions are okay too but the spicy flavor of red onion is nice here. You can also substitute shallots. Scotch bonnet pepper or habanero pepper. You need a hot pepper in this akara recipe, and the heat is tempered down by the deep frying. But if you can’t stand the idea of a very hot pepper use a moderately hot pepper like jalapeno instead. Cilantro. This is not always added to akara, but I really like the flavor it adds. Leave it out if you like, but it’s really good here. Oil for deep frying. Use an oil with a high smoke point, like peanut oil, avocado oil, sunflower oil or canola oil.
How to make Akara
Storage instructions
Refrigerate: Store the fritters in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Freeze: Freeze the akara in a freezer-safe container for up to four months. Reheat: Reheat the akara in the oven or air fryer until hot and crisp again.
More black-eyed pea recipes
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