Àkàrà is a delicious deep-fried bean cake which originated from the Yoruba-speaking tribes of West Africa mainly resident in Nigeria, Togo, and Benin. It is one of the popular African cuisines widely spread across Europe by enslaved West Africans during the imperial era. Àkàrà today is found across Africa, even amongst Caribbean and Brazilian cuisines as a religious meal and street food. 

Also known as beans fritters, bean cakes, black-eyed peas fritters, Kosai, Acara or Acaraje, it is made from black-eyed peas paste often blended with onions and pepper spices like habanero, chilli and red bell peppers. The resulting paste is then thoroughly beaten/mixed until frosty, seasoned and deep fried in palm oil, vegetable oil or any other cooking oil of choice.

The Yoruba term “Àkàrà” literally translates to pastry in English, however in context, it refers to this yummy pastry of the Yorubas. Hit the ▶ button below to watch this fluffy Akara preparation technique by Latifat Kilani of Pot of Flavours:

Credit: @potofflavours