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| frying very healthy akara in hot oil |
Having enough fiber in our meals is what we all need each time we eat food, including
akara balls. My previous two akara posts, (Find them HERE and HERE ) on this blog had akara that's skinned before grinding, though that is not bad, it is also good that sometimes we make it with the fiber intact. This time around, I told myself that my akara has to be made with fiber. To get the fiber, I wash and grind brown beans with the skin. The taste is yummy. The skin does not affect akara taste in any way.
This is so easy and fast to make because, no time is spent skinning beans. The importance of fiber in our system cannot be over emphasized.Without enough fiber we feel constipated and bloated. Fibre intake is crucial. According to Dr Don Colbert, Author of my favorite "What You Don't Know May Be Killing You"...
"One of the problems that I see with diet plans is that most individuals on the diet do not eat enough fiber As a result, they become constipated... carrots, beans, lentils, legumes and peas are good vegetable sources of fiber..."
When beans is skinned, the truth is, the fiber is what we remove and throw away *sighs*
This time I ensured that my family is served akara with fiber. I went a step further health-wise to add moringa to the akamu (cooked corn starch). It tasted great. I enjoyed this meal and on top of it all, no feeling of guilt after eating cos I know I ate healthy.
Electricity challenges made us start with a manual grinder, as soon as electricity was restored, we switched back to the blender and sped up the cooking.
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| manually grinding washed beans |
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| adding pepper to the ground beans |
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grinding pepper with the beans
Ingredients For Akara balls:
- Brown beans 2 cups
- Fresh Red pepper 3
- vegetable oil
- salt
- water
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| pour ground beans into a bowl |
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| ground beans is thick enough to make good akara |
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add salt to beans
Cooking Procedure For Akara Balls:
- Pick stones and dirt from brown beans,Wash beans in clean water.
- Grind beans with pepper and some water
- Add salt to taste, stir very well.
- Fry in hot vegetable, soya or olive oil
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| scoop with a very deep round spoon |
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| fried akara looking yummy and healthy |
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| akara served with moringa akamu |
Akara with fiber served with the medicinal moringa, sweetened with some honey, is a great way to start the day. I am so sorry I sweetened mine with sugar *covers face in shame* ( still learning how to enjoy honey).
Enjoy your healthy akara!
Wow!! Way to go Eya! I love the fact that this is a very healthy option. I like the way you briefly explained the importance of fibre. On our next Akara day, we will be eating this rich fibre one x
ReplyDeletewww.spynaija.blogspot.com
Fast and healthy way to make akara balls.will sure give that a try but the moringo pap think I will pass
DeleteThank you Spynaija.
Delete@Anonymous, the moringa pap tastes good.
Errrrrrm.....Aunty Eya, this pap is green oooooooo! And to me, green = bitter...so I'm no† so sure about moringa pap. Or does i† †as†e good wit sugar? Wat about the smell? Does i† have a smell? *scrunches up face*
DeleteHahaha Chinazor, this green is not equal to bitter. There is no smell at all, maybe because I added just a little powder. Add sugar, honey or your fav sweetener and enjoy your unchanged pap.
DeleteIs it nt adviseable to add maggi to d akara cos u didnt add to urs
DeleteNo, no maggi or other seasoning in akara. they take away the original akara taste. Salt and pepper is all you need.
DeleteThis looks really good! I might pass on the green moringa infused pap though... I think I may feel like drowning the pap in milk to disguise the green colour, which will defeat the healthy benefit. I like this idea of leaving the skin on the beans. It will really cut in half the time spent on making moi-moi and akara. In fact, I think I may make my moi-moi this way this weekend. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHahaha Adele, please don't drown the akamu in milk. You are welcome dear.
DeleteIt's my first time on this blog and am love struck already. Mrs Eya, ur doing a very good job! God will bless ur efforts. Please do u do catering jobs? Like wedding catering, events,etc? I love ur blog, it will really help me cuz I love to cook but most times I run out of ideas on wat to make. Thanks mrs Eya.
ReplyDeleteHi Jane, you are welcome! No Jane, I don't do catering jobs, but, I can link you with good caterers I know in Abuja only o.
DeleteFood looks good. Quick question: can unpeeled beans also be used to make moin-moin?
ReplyDeleteYes it can be used. However, I haven't tried black eyed peas. Unpeeled Brown beans is OK.
DeleteDnt evn try it wit black eyed beans, its horrible and it will make it very strong. Its also tastes very different, I knw dis cz in my second schl, we were servd moimoi wit beans dat wasn't cleand properly, it was horrible
DeleteI agree with you Anon. I think black eyed peas must be skinned before using for akara or moi moi.
DeleteTo cook with the skin, only use Brown Beans.
Hmmm .Moringa, nature is good!!
ReplyDeleteHi aunty Eya,v a lil problem with knowin wat 2 prepare 4 hubby everday.Just got married thou,do u make use of a food time table?if yes wld u help me with one.And its so annoying m hubby can be 2 choosy wen it comes 2 food....Pls dearie ur help will go a long way
ReplyDeleteThere's a Menu Timetable by your right. If you can't see it, send me a mail so that I upload one to your mail box.
DeleteReally healthy meal!
ReplyDeleteAlways tot akara MUST be peeled,and it still came out the same.
Will surely give this a try, not just the fiber but one doesn't need to peel too :)
ReplyDeleteMyne and Queen Bee, please peel, when you cook with white beans (black eyed peas)
DeleteHere comes the end of washing beans to make akara and moi moi. God bless you Aunty Eya!
ReplyDeleteNenye, do this only for brown beans please.
DeleteI have avoided making akara or moimoi cos of the part of washing d beans first. This is great. Zinny.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, dis is problem solvd. No mor washin of beans.... Eat all d fibre (winks)
ReplyDeleteivy brown and Zinny, remember this is for Brown Beans ONLY, for now.
DeleteI can see aunty ojay's new fry pan at work! Lol
ReplyDeleteYes o Ruthy, I don't want to offend your eyes with my old fry pan o.
DeleteHi Eya, thanks for your post eating the beans with the skin on does not affect the taste of the beans. i wonder how even said the skin should be removed first????
ReplyDeletebut truth be told, the skin of beans is believed to contain some anti-nutritive properties especially phytates which result to flatulence, heart burns and tummy trouble. soaking the beans and removing the skin reduces these anti- nutritive properties.
you can look it up for more info. CHEERS
Cooked beans skin is good fiber dear. I just went reading more on beans.http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/beans-protein-rich-superfoods
DeleteEya there is no doubt beans is nutritive and contain all the good stuff but i just wanted to point out the anti-nutrients for all to be informed that's all.
DeleteThank you Anon, I have looked it up, and the discoveries make me want to eat more beans with fiber. You know when I say fiber, it isn't raw but cooked skin. I went searching and reading up on beans and I am happy I now want to eat even more. You can check WEB Md. http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/beans-protein-rich-superfoods
ReplyDeletewaohhh thats a new one never knew we could do without peeling the skin..great job as usual aunty eya..
ReplyDeleteMoi moi and akara are two types of food I really miss but have never tried. I have to sit down one day and follow the recipes for making them here. As for this moringa, i've started searching for it o as part of my eating healthy regimen.
ReplyDeleteAunty Eya I luv u for ur simplicity. May God keep blessing u for all d wonderful recipes u have shared with us ur readers. Anyways I prepared d catfish gravy wit rice n side pineapple for my fiancee on sunday, he was wowed by it n bot me a Zara bag I have been asking for since. Thanks to u dear *hugs*. Ijay
ReplyDeleteHahaha Ijay, so you bribed him with catfish gravy? Happy about the bag. More grease to your elbows. Thank you for sharing.
Delete@Shallie
@ Stelzz please do this only with brown beans o.
Aunty eya I tried dis recipe n it came out nice, tnx 4 d recipe.
ReplyDeleteI used a blender buh d paste wasn't smooth, Thou I didn't add enough water while blendin it cus I was scared dat it might b watery. Pls wen u blend wit ur blender does d paste come out smooth lyk dat of d one in d market?
Thanks A M Y, yes it comes out smooth. I used a kenwood blender. Before blending, most times I use a manual grinder first.
DeleteOwk tnx. Wil av to buy a manual grinder
ReplyDelete