Mixed Vegetable Akara

This twist on the popular West African snack, Akara, is not only easy to make but packed with extra flavour thanks to the addition of chopped vegetables. Akara, also known as bean fritters, is made using either honey beans or black-eyed beans, which are blended with spices and pepper, and then fried to golden brown perfection. In this recipe, we will be using black-eyed bean flour, available at any well stocked African/Caribbean grocery store. Akara makes for a crowd-pleasing appetiser or breakfast that can be served alone or alongside porridges or soft Agege bread. 

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 130g black-eyed bean flour 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 
• 175ml warm water 
• 1 small onion, finely chopped 
• 1 carrot, finely chopped 
• 1 small red pepper, finely chopped 
• 35g green peas 
• Sunflower oil 

Method

1. Place the bean flour, salt, chilli powder and smoked paprika in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the warm water and mix thoroughly until there are no lumps.
3. Use an electric hand whisk to whisk the mixture for up to five minutes until light and airy in texture. 
4. Carefully fold in the chopped onion, carrot, red pepper and green peas. 
5. Heat some sunflower oil in a frying pan, enough to deep fry.
6. Scoop the fritter batter into the hot oil, one large tablespoon at a time, and fry in small batches.
7. Allow the fritters to brown on one side before flipping them over to brown on the other side.
8. Use a slotted spoon to remove the fritters and place in a large bowl lined with kitchen paper (to drain any excess oil).
9. Repeat this process with the rest of the batter. 
10. Serve warm. 

Author Bio: Tomi Makanjuola is the content creator behind the award-winning platform The Vegan Nigerian. Her latest cookbook Vegan Nigerian Kitchen is the perfect resource for anyone who wants to dive deeper into Nigerian/West African cuisine and food culture. In there, you’ll find over 100 mouth-watering and accessible recipes. You can follow Tomi on Instagram and Facebook (@vegannigerian) for more vegan food inspiration.