HOLIDAY RECIPE SERIES-Chef Wibi Ashley’s Akara Black-eyed Peas Fritters

Add some African culture to your holiday feast with this Nigerian traditional dish! Chef Wibi’s delicious crunchy Akara Fritters are made from the black-eyed pea aka cowpea, which is actually a legume. (Yes, Beloved it is not a pea!) The black-eyed-pea was originated in West African and became a popular new food tradition to our enslaved ancestors here in the U.S.  

 In the African descendant culinary culture, black-eyed peas are considered as “soul food.” They are also known to bring good luck and are often a staple side dish on many Black folk’s tables during the New Year Holiday to usher in prosperity.  Keep scrolling for the ingredients, recipe and more on Chef Wibi

Chef Wibi Akara Fritters

Ingredients: 

  • 2 cups dry black-eyed peas
  • 1 Scotch Bonnet pepper or habanero pepper, deseeded and chopped (optional)
  • 2 shallots, chopped
  • 2 sweet peppers or green peppers, chopped 
  • 1 vegetable stock cube, ground (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sea salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder 
  • 1/2 tablespoon cumin powder 
  • Coconut oil for frying (or Palm oil) 

Preparation: 

  1. Soaked black-eyed peas overnight in a large pot of water. 
  2. Drain and add water again to cover. 
  3. Loosen black-eyed peas skin by rubbing them between your hands. Or place them in a food processor with the “S” blade, add a little water and pulse briefly. Then add more water about 1/2 cup of water to 2 cups of black -eyed peas and blend mixture to a smooth creamy texture. 
  4. Next add the hot pepper and shallots and blend again.
  5. Put the black-eyed pea mixture/paste into a bowl and season with vegetable stock cube, sea salt, garlic powder, cumin powder and mix well again. 
  6. In a large iron frying pan, heat the oil to 370 degrees. Form balls of paste with a spoon or with your hands and carefully dip them into the pan. Fry until they are browned evenly on each side. 
  7. Place in a dish lined with paper towel and serve hot.  Enjoy! 

 

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