AKARA, also known also fried bean cakes are mouth-watering snacks. This snack can be eaten at any time of day with pap (fermented corn starch), bread and cornstarch (agidi or eko).
The basic ingredient used for the preparation of this food is beans. Considering the health benefits of beans, they should be known as "healthy people's meat" instead of "poor people's meat", as they're often called.
Beans have more protein than most other vegetables, and full of energy-sustaining complex carbohydrates, folate, fibre, calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium. Studies have shown that high-protein food choices like beans (akara) play a role in promoting good health. Eating healthy protein sources like beans, fish, chicken, or nuts in place of red meat can lower the risk of several diseases and premature death.
Akara is an ideal food for students and people that are engaged in intellectual work because of its thiamin (vitamin B1) content which helps the brain to function properly.
Eating akara helps in promoting good health, prevents diabetes (excess sugar in the blood), cancer and premature aging. Intake of this food helps children to attain maximum growth and development. Menstruating women, who are at risk for iron deficiency, can also benefit from eating akara. It is also an ideal food for pregnant women to help produce a healthy baby.
Ingredients Quantities
Beans 2 cups
Vegetable oil 1 litre
Salt to taste
Pepper 2 medium size
Onion 1 medium bulb
Method of preparation
Wash the beans in water and allow to soak for at least 10 minutes.
Wash and peel the beans’ coat properly.
Add the washed beans, onions and red pepper in a blender and blend to form a paste.
Add the blended paste into a clean bowl, add salt to taste and knead very well.
Heat up oil in a deep fryer and use a deep spoon to scoop the beans paste into oil.
Turn intermittently and fry until golden brown.
Scoop out from oil and drain excess oil.
Pap
Pap locally known as ogi or akamu in the Southwestern and Southeastern parts of Nigeria respectively is prepared using the raw, fermented starch from ground white or yellow maize. It is a good source of calories and carbohydrates. Being a complex carbohydrate, cornstarch intake provides energy to the body and also brings significant weight gain in children.
Cornstarch is beneficial for those people who are following a high carbohydrate diet plan. This includes athletes as this kind of diet gives them the extra calories they need for training and competition. Cornstarch being carbohydrate and calorie dense is also beneficial to body builders.
Ingredients
Raw solid ogi, cold water, boiling water, brown sugar, milk (optional)
Method of preparation
Put some lumps of akamu/ogi/pap into a sizeable bowl.
Use a tablespoon to crush the lumps of ogi into very small pieces.
Add cold water in small quantities and mix till you have a medium consistency with no lumps.
Put a kettle of water to boil. It is better to boil too much water than not have enough water when making akamu.
Once the water boils, stir the mix very well because some of the ogi may have settled at the bottom of the bowl, then pour it slowly but steadily in a circular motion into the bowl of akamu and stir at the same time.
The mixture should start to thicken and it is up to you to decide how thick you would like it. Once you have got the consistency you want, stop adding water.
Add sugar and milk and serve with Akara.
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