.jpg) |
| Akara served with hot Akamu (corn starch) |
 |
| Clean beans with crayfish, onions and red pepper ready for moi moi and akara |
 |
| Frying Akara Balls |
   |
| Manual grinding of beans for moi moi or akara balls
INGREDIENTS FOR AKARA BALLS:
Dear Diary,
Making this meal took more time than usual. I learnt long ago that to enjoy my kitchen in Nigeria, I need both electrical and manual appliances, so, they can never take me unawares. This time, NEPA struck and then generators refused to start all at the same time. The frustration made me unwrap my manual grinder and we set to work. It didn't take as long as I expected though, because the grinding was not repeated. This quantity of beans was used for moi moi, the excess preserved in the fridge and used the next morning for making akara. Using a blender makes cooking time very short and more fun.
STEPS FOR MAKING AKARA BALLS:
Best enjoyed with Akamu. To make akamu, mix the starch with a little cold water before gradually pouring in boiling water until the mixture thickens.
I like Akara and akamu in the morning as breakfast. It digests easily and fast too. Home made with no artificial colors or spices. I enjoy it without crayfish though!
Enjoy! |
This was a good suggestion that you put up here...dude…..hope that it benefits all the ones who land up here.
ReplyDeleteElectrical Wholesalers
lol @ the moi moi recipes are 'still cooling off'
ReplyDeleteYes o, I won't let them freeze before posting.
Deleteloolz aunty Eya hope ur kids are learning from u,I doubt if there's any local dish u can't prepare. I pray my own will all dis for meoo when d time comes.
ReplyDelete~BONARIO~says so via NOKIA3310
Thanks o. There are so many local dishes that I can't prepare. My kitchen diary keeps only the few I can make and perhaps a few others that I hope to learn in future.
DeleteYours will make these and even more for you, that is if she is less busy o. You know most of our local dishes take time to cook so, you need to be understanding and sometimes expect them only on weekends o.
Btw, bookmark this blog just Incase *winking*
All I wantto say is tank u....
DeleteWoah! I'm really digging the template/theme of this blog. It's simple, yet effective.
ReplyDeleteA lot of times it's tough to get that "perfect balance" between superb usability and visual appeal. I must say that you've done a
great job with this. Also, the blog loads very fast for me on Opera.
Outstanding Blog!
Also visit my page ; Research Paper Example
Wow, I've not seen akara mixed with egg before, but thinking about it, it should aid in keeping it together. Nice one. With that Akamu, I'm feeling very hungrey :)
ReplyDeleteYes, the egg actually aids in keeping it together and adding to the crunchy sound when you bite.
ReplyDeleteEgg is optional just like crayfish. Have a taste of the akamu Myne.
Again, rubbing the beans on a sharp grater peels the skin fast. I sometimes cook this or moi moi without removing the skin and that gives a nice brown color and may be healthier.
DeleteAll these ingredients may not be necessary if it's just akara one is making. The main ingredients for akara are just beans,salt and water. Every other one can be done without.
Noticed u didn't mention maggi or kwnor cube...isn't dat neccesary?
DeleteI have a feeling that seasoning cubes will make the akara too spicy for me. I add salt to taste, and that's all.
DeleteI've never used crayfish before but will defo be trying it next time, looks yummy.
ReplyDeletewww.bukkyapampa.com
Thanks Bukky, crayfish is not a main ingredient.Doing without it is still Ok. What you can't afford to forget is salt.
DeleteI was wondering what could be new about frying akara when I realised that a lot of people buy akara from vendors rather than prepare it. We actually do both but wifey prefers to do it herself.
ReplyDeleteThe adding of egg and crayfish was the extra toping I'm learning about. Wifey's gotta try this for me. She loves to experiment in the kitchen.
Thanks for sharing.
Wow, you are such a good cook. Please I didn't receive invite for the tasting ceremony of this Ankara and pap oh. Send my portion sharply
ReplyDeleteIssorait!
DeleteMany people think that akara takes time to make. They don't know that with a blender, it takes the shortest time to cook. This took more time because we had to do manual grinding.
ReplyDeleteWhen you try this please let us know how you feel. Congratulations to wifey for giving you healthy meals.
I crave akara right now, been a while I tasted that.
ReplyDeleteYou are such a good cook and your foods are all inviting.
Thanks Lara, I'd gladly make some for you anytime. Cooking is something I really enjoy doing.
ReplyDeleteYummy..:)
ReplyDeleteI love having moi-moi and akamu (ogi) for breakfast. Not a great fan of akara.. I don't know about adding eggs though; don't like eggs.
I love the way you make food look good!
It's OK, thanks ay. Christmas travel versus village work and all the preparation is what is delaying my moi moi pics. Will try and upload them soon.
DeleteMehn! That akara looks good. I have never used egg before but it seems like it totally makes sense. did I read right when you wrote that you sometimes don't remove the skin of the beans?
ReplyDeleteYep, I cooked moi moi with the skin. The color was brown and the taste great. For akara, cooking with the skin gives it a kind of rubbery feel when you bite. Almost like biting oily buns (puff puff )
ReplyDeleteI love the yummy look of the akara, but I noticed that when I added crayfish to my akara mixture it became difficult to bind. I ll have to try it with eggs next time.
ReplyDeleteSorry about the stress Debby, the crayfish was a lil bit too much for your quantity of beans.
Delete2. The quantity of water made it too loose.
3. Even with that amount of crayfish, an egg or two would have perfectly bound it together. The lil crayfish in the pic served that whole bucket of beans
Thanks for the feedback!!!
DeleteNext time, if you are not going to add the egg/s, then leave out the crayfish too and you will still get a perfectly finished akara.
2. The mixture should be thick enough as not to flow freely from the scoop. It should not pour like soup or tea. It should be as thick as to leave a depression /hole when you dip in a finger.
Let the mixture be as thick as what you get when you make very thick akamu.
When next you try, please let us know the outcome. Thanks again!
Hi Eya, how you dey today? I prepared one of your recipes over the weekend and I had it perfectly! thanks to you! I believe everyone is doing well, yes? how the french lesson too dey go naa? seasons greetings to the fam!
ReplyDeleteHey sis, I dey correct o.I truly appreciate your trying my recipes. We are doing great and I miss posting more recipes.
DeleteChristmas travel, and cleaning has left me with just no time to blog. We left for the village last weekend and when the door was opened, we were welcome by dust and cobwebs. I spent the better part of today cleaning bathrooms. Hopefully by weekend we'll get comfortable enough for me to be able to post even the ones I'm cooking back home.
French is struggling due to my tight schedule right now but, when the time comes, I should be able to say "bon Noel"
Seasons greetings. Au revoir Priscy!
Yum!
ReplyDeleteWishing you a merry Christmas and happy new year.
ReplyDeleteThe Lord's blessing be upon you as we walk into 2013.
This is a lovely blog i just stumbled on..glad to have found it please visit my blog guys..http://aomosale.blogspot.co.uk/ Many Thanks..
ReplyDeleteLovely Blog! Where have I been sins? Lol. Found this while going thru LIB. Thanks, u doing a good job here... I'm def making akara dis saturday, and I'm cooking afang too! :)
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome spykid! Thanks for coming here.
DeleteDo I nid tio soak d beans in water overnight to remove d back or do dey come off easily once put in water?
ReplyDeleteOnce I soak in water, I start removing the skin. I think it's better to remove the skin immediately. With a grater, they come off easily so, there is no point soaking.
DeleteHmmmm, don't know where to start bc I'm filled with my akara balls and hubby enjoyed it totally.
ReplyDeleteThough mine wasn't akara balls but akara flat, I added too much water. I also used vegetable oil instead of cooking oil (initially I thot adding oil at all was a mistake). I was also surprised bc I used beans flour.*** I make them and store in air-tight container and it for moi-moi or akara**** Never used them though till 2day.
Thanks so much dear btw I'm a first-timer here.
First timer, and you came back to share your cooking results with us? God bless you.
DeleteI fry with vegetable oil (soya), not palm oil.
Next time add more oil in the pot so that the akara can float, that way you get balls.
Congratz on the akara making!
I also think that adding oil to the ground beans is a mistake.
DeleteFirst time of visiting your blog. I got to know about it on Linda's blog and the hilarious way you advertise it. You are definitely doing a good job here. I like the concept. Will visit everyday to learn new things. Keep it up dear.
ReplyDeleteI have also given my teen daughters the link. They need it!
Hahaha, thank you! you and your teen daughters are welcome here anytime.
ReplyDeletehi eya, pls how can beans be peeled with a grater?
ReplyDeleteWith your grater on your left hand, pack a handful of wet beans with your right and rub against the grater. Do that until the water is filled with chaff before filtering and starting all over again, until you are OK with the washing.
Delete