Hello everyone, welcome you all to another edition of HiveLearners creative Sunday. For today's creative day, I decided to prepare a special Nigeria breakfast meal known as akara locally and bean cake as the general name.
Akara or bean cake is a meal that has existed for so long and is said to have originated from the southwestern part of Nigeria (The yoruba tribe). While the yoruba's call it akara, people from the north prefer to call it kosai. Aside from these names I have mentioned, I don't think I know any other names people call it again probably there is but not familiar with it. This meal is prepared with beans by first peeling off its skin cause you don't want it black.
Akara has been a life saver and one of the cheapest breakfasts. People love it because it can be paired with pap perfectly, and bread. Sometimes we call bread and akara Africa burger because that combo is mad. But sincerely speaking I am not a fan of bean cake and can do without it for months but once in a while I crave for it and this is why I decided to make it. Aside from me who don't really like it, my whole family loves it and they prefer to take pap with it.
This meal is not always prepared at home not because beans are so expensive but because of the process. You know it is not as easy washing the beans blending before we talk about frying compared too when we want to fry yam or anything. And then except when buying from outside it is not a fast one too. Nevertheless it is still loved. The end was amazing and everyone just wants more. 😊
To begin with our akara recipe, these were the ingredients I used:
*Beans ( half measure)
*Seasoning
*Pepper, onion and spring onions
*Oil
*Water (half cup)
All the ingredients used are very common and found in our kitchen also can be gotten from our local market too.
Materials used are:
Frying pan
Pestle and mortar
A sieve basket
And lastly scooping spoon.
Procedures
Firstly, I poured the beans in a mortar, added water and pounded it carefully. After that, I poured in a bowl added lots of water and washed it to get the peels out. Please ensure to wash properly because you don't want it looking weird when fried.
When washing was done, I then again rinsed and poured in a clean bowl where I added pepper and onions and then blended it.
Afterwards I added seasoning and spring onions.
I went ahead to put the frying pan on the fire and add a good amount of oil, allow it to be hot and begin to scoop some of the blended beans in the oil.
Ensure to flip both sides while frying and take out once it's golden brown.
Take out from the oil and our akara is ready. Allow to cool a bit and you can either pair with anything as I have earlier stated of your choice.