Binch Akara Bean Drops Recipes

BINCH AKARA (BEAN DROPS)

Steps:

• Pour dry beans in a blender with a cup of water.
• Chop for one minute. Pour in large bowl add water.
• Stir until skins float. Strain into colander; allow all skin and eyes to flow out.
• Blend beans, onion and pepper. Pour in a bowl, add salt, and stir with a wooden spoon for two minutes.
• Heat oil until moderately hot. Drop mixture into oil with spoon.
• Fry until golden brown.
• Drain on absorbent paper.
• Small balls can be served with toothpicks.

AKARA (AFRICAN)

Steps:

• Soak peas overnight in lots of water. Drain. Peel the outside skin from the peas.
• In a processor, pulse the 1 onion and red pepper to coarsely chop. Add soaked peas and puree to a paste. Transfer to a bowl and using a whisk, whisk the mixture adding salt, white pepper and just a little soaking liquid -- not too much as the mixture needs to retain its shape for frying.
• Using an ice cream scoop, form into balls about the size of a ping-pong ball. Drop into a pot of hot olive oil, heated to 360 degrees F. Fry until golden brown. Remove to paper towel-lined plate. Season again with salt and pepper.
• Make a quick dipping sauce by pulsing 2 seeded tomatoes, 1 onion, 1 green pepper and some parsley in food processor. Add olive oil and season with salt and pepper. It should be a little chunky, but smooth enough to stick to the fried akara.