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Akara Market Style

Also known as Akara Market Style (Lagos Dawn Bean Fritters)

Market-style Akara is the commercial, high-volume version sold by Iya Akara (the Akara woman) at Lagos markets from before dawn to catch traders and workers starting their day. Market Akara is larger than home-made versions, fried in palm oil in enormous quantities, with a more crayfish-forward flavour from large-batch preparation.

Akara Market Style, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 3 big cups of black-eyed peas, soaked for 4 hours and completely peeled
  • 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
  • 3 to 4 Atarodo (hot chilli peppers), blended
  • 2 big handfuls of ground dried crayfish
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • Palm oil for deep-frying — market Akara is always fried in palm oil
  • Water — just enough for blending

Method

  1. 01

    Peeling the Beans. Soak beans for 4 hours. Rub between palms to remove skins. Wash repeatedly. Drain completely.

  2. 02

    Blending. Blend peeled beans with onion and Atarodo using the absolute minimum water possible — just enough to get the blender moving. The batter must be very thick, almost stiff.

  3. 03

    Seasoning and Beating. Add ground crayfish and salt. Beat the batter vigorously for 5 full minutes in circular motions. This is what Iya Akara calls the secret — beating incorporates air that makes Akara puff and float.

  4. 04

    Heating the palm oil. Fill a deep pot with palm oil to 6 to about the width of a hand depth. Heat until very hot — test by dropping a tiny bit of batter in; it should rise instantly.

  5. 05

    Frying Market Style. Wet your hand. Scoop generous portions of batter — market Akara is larger than home Akara. Drop into hot palm oil. Fry in large batches for 4 to 5 minutes, turning, until deep golden-brown.

  6. 06

    Draining. Remove with slotted spoon. Drain briefly. Serve immediately.

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