Akara

Ingredients

• •2 cups dried black-eyed peas, soaked 1-2 hours
• •1 onion, roughly chopped, divided
• •1-2 scotch bonnet peppers
• •1 tsp salt
• •1 bouillon cube, crushed
• •Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Steps

1. 1.After soaking, rub the black-eyed peas between your hands or pulse briefly in a food processor to loosen the skins, then submerge in a bowl of water and swirl gently so the skins float to the top, skimming them off and repeating until the beans are clean - deskinning is essential, since authentic akara is never made with the skins left on.
2. 2.Drain the skinned beans and blend them with about half the onion and the scotch bonnet into a thick, smooth paste, adding as little water as possible to keep the batter airy.
3. 3.Whisk the batter vigorously by hand for a few minutes to incorporate air, which is what makes the fritters light and fluffy rather than dense.
4. 4.Stir in the salt, crushed bouillon, and the remaining chopped onion.
5. 5.Heat oil to 350F (175C) and drop tablespoon-sized scoops of the batter into the hot oil.
6. 6.Fry, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes.
7. 7.Drain on paper towels and serve hot, on their own or alongside pap or bread.