Black Eyed Peas Fritters (Akara)

Name: Black-eyed peas fritters(Akara)
Prep time: 150 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 165 min
Ingredients: 2 cups black-eyed peas; 1/2 Medium Onion; 1-2 Hot Pepper (Scotch Bonnet or habenero Pepper); Salt to taste (about 1 3/4 teaspoons or more adjust to taste); 2 Large eggs (optional see tips); optional spices 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder (1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika)); Oil for deep frying

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

Author: Imma Published:12/29/2016Updated:4/20/2021

Facebook Tweet Pin2.2k Yummly EmailShares2.2k

Black Eyed Peas Fritters- Spicy ,Crispy and crunchy, irresistibly Fritters made with fresh black eyed peas , onions, hot pepper and salt .

What name you call these light, crispy, Black-eyed peas fritters, that is so hard to resist, depends on what part of the world you live. In Nigeria and Cameroon; they’re called akara, accra or kosai, In Sierra Leone and Ghana ;akla or koosé.

Transported to Brazil you have…. Acarajé big and large, split in the middle and filled with fried shrimps, tomatoes and hot pepper sauce or some sort of spicy mixture.

In some parts of West Africa, like Nigeria it is often eaten at breakfast . Served with Custard or Pap . While Countries like Cameroon enjoy it as a snack .

They are for the most part, sold by women in market places and around street corners and are a delight with every crunchy bite.

Yes ! they are just not black eyed peas fritters without the crunch.

There are Tip and Tricks to making THE perfect Crunchy Akara

Although store- bought peeled black eyed peas works for this recipe . I prefer using shelled( black eyed peas with skin on ). It delivers that perfect crunchy bite. It might be tedious but SO worthy it.
One key essential step is whipping the batter just like you would a cake , in fast circles to get as much air in the mixture as possible making it light and airy. Usually takes about 4-5 minutes. You can’t omit this step. And in between frying you have to continue beating the batter before frying the next batch.
Here , I used eggs to add more flavor and texture to it- 1-2 Large eggs does it. Just substitute with water (about 1/4 cup of water ) if want to make this completely vegan.
let it cook an extra 1-2 minutes for a more golden brown exterior and an even better crunch.

If you want a traditional african recipe for fritters then go with the basic ingredients .

However, you can fuse the African recipe with the Brazilian one, by adding shrimp to the to the mixture to produce a neat and crisp outside and a fluffy inside – with a surprise shrimp awaiting . Another alternative for those who want something different.

In other to make this less grueling ,you can peel your beans ahead of time and freeze them till the day of cooking.

Enjoy!!!!

Watch How to Make It

Black-eyed peas fritters(Akara)

5 from 8 votes

Prep: 2 hrs 30 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Total: 2 hrs 45 mins

African

Servings -4

Ingredients

▢ 2 cups black-eyed peas
▢ 1/2 Medium Onion
▢ 1-2 Hot Pepper Scotch Bonnet or habenero Pepper
▢ Salt to taste about 1 3/4 teaspoons or more adjust to taste
▢ 2 Large eggs optional see tips
▢ optional spices 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika)
▢ Oil for deep frying

Instructions

Instructions
Soak them for about 15 minutes, pulse in the blender or food processor to break the peas (about 5- 10 times or about 10 to 15 seconds) you should do this in small quantities. In a large bowl soak the beans with warm water for about 2 hours or up to 24hours, cover with water until tender.
Rub the peas between your hands to take the skin off. The skins will float to the top. Pour off the skins, into a colander; you may have to do this process several times. Most of the skin will come off the peas; Sort through the remaining peas to remove all the skin. You can do this ahead of time and freeze it, to save time
In a food processor, puree onions, black-eyed peas and habanero pepper with no or very little water until completely smooth. You might have to do this in two batches. It is important to note that ,using water will cause the mixture to be very light and will not hold together.
In a medium bowl mix together, blended black eyed peas , salt,and eggs.
Heat up a large skillet or cast iron with oil up to ½ inch- medium-high heat (375) until hot but not smoking.
Gently place batter by spoonfuls in hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes turning once. Fry in batches and do not over crowd pan - it may lead to soggy akara. Remove from hot oil with a slotted spoon, drain well, and serve.,

Nutrition Information:

Author: AfricanBites

Course: Breakfast, Snacks

Cuisine: African

Keyword: black eyed peas, fritter

Tag Us On Instagram!Did you make this recipe? I love hearing how it turned out! Tag me on Instagram @ImmaculateBites and be sure to leave a rating below!

Follow on Instagram

Nutrition Facts

Black-eyed peas fritters(Akara)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 188 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 109mg36%

Sodium 48mg2%

Potassium 434mg12%

Carbohydrates 27g9%

Fiber 7g29%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 13g26%

Vitamin A 320IU6%

Vitamin C 23.3mg28%

Calcium 48mg5%

Iron 3.5mg19%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.