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Akara

Akara are golden fritters made from black-eyed peas seasoned with onions and peppers. They are a popular breakfast food among Nigerian Americans, but they can be eaten at any time of day. This version is served with a tomato-pepper dipping sauce.

Recipe Servings: 4

Prep Time
25 minutes
+ 8 hours resting
Cook Time
10 minutes
Total Time
8 hours 35 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal

Ingredients

Fritters:
  • ½ lb dried black-eyed peas
  • Water, for soaking
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 red pepper
  • Salt, to taste
  • White pepper, to taste
  • Olive oil, for frying
Dipping Sauce:

Directions

    For the Fritters:
  1. Wash and pick through the black-eyed peas. In a bowl, cover them with water to a depth of 2–3 inches. Allow them to soak overnight.
  2. After the peas have soaked, drain and rinse them. Remove the outer skin from the peas.
  3. Use a food processor to chop the onion and the red pepper. Add the peas and process until the mixture becomes a paste.
  4. Stir a dash of salt and white pepper into the paste. The mixture should have a firm but malleable consistency. If the paste is too thick, dribble water into the dough a little at a time, but be sure it does not become too soft to maintain its shape.
  5. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
  6. Using a spoon or a small scoop, drop small spoonfuls of dough into the hot oil. Fry each piece until it is crisp and golden. Drain the fritters on paper towels.
  7. For the Dipping Sauce:
  8. To make the dipping sauce, use the food processor to chop the vegetables.
  9. Add the parsley, a dribble of olive oil, and a dash of salt and pepper. Pulse until the sauce is thick and semi-smooth.

Notes

Akara can be made with Nigerian brown beans, also called brown cowpeas.

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