How to make Akara (Bean cake, beans fritters, Kosai)

Akara is a deep-fried fritter made from beans paste or beans powder. It is also called Kosai, Bean cake, Acaraje or Beanballs and is mostly made with black-eyed peas (beans) but there are many other types of beans you can use.

Akara is a very popular breakfast dish in Nigeria. You can eat it either as a snack or as a meal and when served as a meal, it is usually accompanied by pap (Akamu, Ogi, Corn starch paste) or custard. It is also be eaten as a sandwich filling or a vegetarian “burger”.

These delicious bean-cakes are sold on street corners in Nigeria from large frying pans filled with oil. If the Akara seller is top-notch, then you will surely see a line up of people early in the morning waiting their turn to buy the hot Akara. It is best eaten warm or hot and is excellent for vegans and vegetarians.

Growing up, homemade Akara was usually made on Saturdays. My mother would not allow us to buy it from the street corner, so if you wanted Akara, you had to wait until Saturday.

Making Akara used to be tedious but with so many gadgets available now, you can make it in a fraction of the time with less effort. When grinding the beans, do not add anything to it, if you do, it might affect the amount of air and the Akara will end up being dense and flat.

It can also be made using beans flour, just follow the same procedure but you will need a little more water.

To Make Nigerian Akara, Kosai

2 cups Beans
1/2 small onions
1 scotch bonnet
salt
Vegetable oil for deep frying

Pick through the beans.

Wash and remove the beans coat by hand, using a blender or a food processor. (Click on the links).

Grind beans to a very smooth paste using a blender or commercial mill, adding just enough water to get the blender blades moving. (If using a blender, soak beans for about 10 minutes to soften it).

Pour beans into a bowl and using a wooden spoon, stir vigorously until light, fluffy and doubled in size. You can also use a mortar and pestle, an electric whisk or food processor. This is a very important step.

Very Finely chop onions and scotch bonnet, set aside.

Place a frying pan over medium heat and add enough vegetable oil for deep frying.

Line a plate with kitchen napkins, set aside.

Add onions, pepper and some salt to your beans paste, stir very well and if you can, taste a tiny bit for salt.

When the oil is hot, use a tablespoon or your hand and spoon your batter into the hot oil.

Fry on one side then flip your Akara to fry the other side.

Drain into the lined plate.

Serve Akara with Pap, Custard, as a sandwich filler or plain as a snack.

Notes

• Make sure to grind the beans into a very smooth paste. Rub between your fingers to check if it’s still grainy.
• You will need a powerful blender to achieve this. It will still taste good even if it’s not really smooth.
• Whip the batter long enough to achieve an airy paste. If it is not airy enough, the Akara will turn out flat and might scatter in the oil.
• Oil needs to be hot enough to give your Akara a slightly crunchy exterior with a soft and tender inside. If the oil is too hot, your Akara will not cook through, oil not hot enough, it will soak up a lot of oil.
  

  Akara (Kosai, Bean cake, Acaraje or Beanballs)

  gaga

  Akara is a deep-fried fritter made from beans paste or beans powder.

  Print Recipe Pin Recipe

  Prep Time 30 minutes mins

  Cook Time 15 minutes mins

  Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Dinner, Main Course, Snack

  Cuisine Nigerian, world

  Servings 4

  Ingredients

    

  • 2 cups Beans
  • ½ small onions
  • 1 scotch bonnet
  • salt
  • Vegetable oil for deep frying

  Instructions

   

  • Pick through the beans.
  • Wash and remove the beans coat by hand, using a blender or a food processor. (Click on the links).
  • Grind beans to a very smooth paste using a blender or commercial mill, adding just enough water to get the blender blades moving. (If using a blender, soak beans for about 10 minutes to soften it).
  • Pour beans into a bowl and using a wooden spoon, stir vigorously until light, fluffy and doubled in size. You can also use a mortar and pestle, an electric whisk or food processor. This is a very important step.
  • Very Finely chop onions and scotch bonnet, set aside.
  • Place a frying pan over medium heat and add enough vegetable oil for deep frying.
  • Line a plate with kitchen napkins, set aside.
  • Add onions, pepper and some salt to your beans paste, stir very well and if you can, taste a tiny bit for salt.
  • When the oil is hot, use a tablespoon or your hand and spoon your batter into the hot oil.
  • Fry on one side then flip your Akara to fry the other side.
  • Drain into the lined plate.

  Notes

  • Serve Akara with Pap, Custard, as a sandwich filler or plain as a snack.
  • Make sure to grind the beans into a very smooth paste. Rub between your fingers to check if it's still grainy. You will need a powerful blender to achieve this. It will still taste good even if it's not really smooth.
  • Whip the batter long enough to achieve an airy paste. If it is not airy enough, the Akara will turn out flat and might scatter in the oil.
  • Oil needs to be hot enough to give your Akara a slightly crunchy exterior with a soft and tender inside.
  • If the oil is too hot, your Akara will not cook through, oil not hot enough, it will soak up a lot of oil.

  Keyword beans, fried dough