Showing posts with label bean cake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bean cake. Show all posts

Sunday 28 June 2015

How to make Akara (Nigerian Bean cake)

This delicacy has been with us from time immemorial and cuts across most ethnic groups in Nigeria. It even features in a number of Nigerian folktales and regularly in our modern day. It is ideal for breakfast and is easy to prepare. A lot of people enjoy buying it from our mamas who sell it by the road side. Here is how to make it just like they do. Let's get started.


INGREDIENTS
1. Beans
2. Fresh red pepper
3. Onions
4. Spice (Maggi/knorr cubes)
5. Salt
6. Vegetable oil (Some persons prefer bleached red oil which adds a different flavour)
7. Clean water


PROCEDURE

1. Soak the beans in water and allow to stand for about 20-30 mins.

2. Pour out the water, and squeeze beans between your palms to remove the skin.

3. Continue to separate skin from beans while washing with clean water.

4. Soak beans in water again to make it easier to blend.

5. Next up, slice the red pepper and onions to tiny bits

6. When the beans is well soaked, roughly after 30 additional minutes, blend smooth in a blender. (Some persons prefer to blend beans with the pepper and onion).

7. Add your pepper and onions if you didn't not blend them in step 6 above.

8. Go on to add your spice (depends on the quantity of beans paste)

9. Add salt to taste

10. Next up is frying. You will need a frying pan for deep frying

11. Put some good quantity of oil in the frying pan and heat up for 5mins (Optionally, Bleach red oil for that local taste)

12. Using a deep spoon, scoop your bean paste into the hot oil.

13. Turn down the heat to prevent the outside from burning while the inside is undercooked.

14. Keep turning until outer layer is brown

15. Check if it is done by inserting a fork. It would come out without smear of uncooked bean paste.

16. Collect your bean cake in a plate lined with clean newspaper to collect excess oil.

17. You can serve Akara with bread, tea, or pap. 

This is my first post and I hope it helped. I will be adding pictures soon. 
Enjoy