7 simple steps for making Akara
One of Nigeria's favourite deep fried snack, akara, is a popular breakfast meal made with brown or black-eyed beans and spices. The preparation of akara follows a relatively simple process. It's all about getting the right texture and taste from the beans mixed with the ingredients.
Step 1: Getting your ingredients right
Scotch bonnet, a bulb of onions, raw beans, vegetable oil, seasoning cubes and salt are the main ingredients for preparing akara.
Beans, black eyed peas and millet (2019)The Centenary Project
Choosing the right variant
Akara can be made with either brown beans, white beans, or light brown beans also known as honey beans. Portions of beans are sold in most Nigerian markets using local measurements like "De Rica cups" or "Paint buckets".
Beans (2019)The Centenary Project
Honey beans
Light brown beans are also known as honey beans. They are the sweetest of all the beans variants and are the most commonly used for preparing akara.
Step 2: Preparing the beans
The raw beans are soaked in warm water for 30 minutes to make it easier to peel off their skins.
Skinning of beans for bean cake (akara) preparation (2019)The Centenary Project
Washing the beans
When the water cools, the skins of the beans can be easily removed. The beans are de-skinned by rubbing them with the hands. This is the washing process, and it continues till all the skins come off.
Skinning of beans for bean cake (akara) preparation (2019)The Centenary Project
Getting the skins off
The washing process continues. More cold water is added. At this stage, some of the skins become fully separated from the seeds and float to the surface of the water.
Beans skin in sieve and bowl and peeled beans in a bowl (2019)The Centenary Project
All washed up
Once the beans have been completely washed and all the skins have been separated from the seeds, the next thing to do will be to grind the seeds.
Step 4: Grinding the beans
A locally-produced grinding machine is used for large-scale blending. It is a small-scale business in Nigeria, and people pay money to grind foodstuff. Here, the washed beans from the container are poured into the blender. A large wooden stick is used to push the beans faster into the grinding machine.
Woman grinding beans (2019)The Centenary Project
Smooth consistency
The paste is run through the blender several times till it becomes really smooth.
Woman grinding beans (2019)The Centenary Project
The glory of grinding beans
The pureed beans is now thick and smooth.
Step 5: Mixing your ingredients
The seasoning cubes are added to the pureed beans and the mixture is stirred.
Plate of fresh onions (2019)The Centenary Project
Chopping up your onions
The onions are neatly chopped into tiny pieces and added to the pureed beans.
Plate of fresh pepper (2019)The Centenary Project
Chopping up the scotch bonnet
The scotch bonnet is cut into tiny pieces and added to the pureed beans.
Bean cake (akara) preparation (2019)The Centenary Project
Mixing all the ingredients
Every ingredient has been added to the puree and it is thoroughly stirred with a wooden spoon.
Step 6: Heat up the pan for deep frying
Vegetable oil is generously added to the pan as the akara needs to be deep fried. The oil is allowed to heat up.
Frying of bean cakes (2019)The Centenary Project
Adding the pureed beans to the hot oil
When the oil heats up, the akara is added with a spoon to achieve its round shape.
Frying of bean cakes (2019)The Centenary Project
Frying
The akara is fried till it becomes golden brown.
Frying of bean cakes (2019)The Centenary Project
Golden brown
The akara is ready to be served once it turns beautifully brown in the pan.
Bean cakes (akara) (2019)The Centenary Project
Best served hot
The akara is taken out of the pan with frying spoons and is now ready to be served.
Step 7: Serving and eating akara
The beautiful golden-brown ball is a Saturday morning favorite in many homes in Nigeria. Akara is best paired with ogi, also known as pap or akamu, which is enjoyed with sugar and milk.
Corn meal served with akara and bread. (2019)The Centenary Project
Akara burger
Eating akara with a sweet loaf of bread is another delicious way to enjoy the meal. Akara, in this instance, serves as a filling for the bread, just like a burger. This is, perhaps, why it is popularly known as "Akara burger".
Curator: Patrick Enaholo
Research: Omotunde Omojola / Emem Akpabio
Photography Supervisor: Omotunde Omojola
Text: Emem Akpabio
Text editor: Munachim Amah
Special thanks to:
Mary Ihama
© The Centenary Project
