Cooks' Corner (Akara and Pap)

Photo Credit: pinterest

Akara is one of the well-liked breakfast staples in Nigeria. It is prepared with the combination of bean paste, fresh onions, and salt.

Akara is a kind of popular food that you would see street sellers, frying at different areas, especially in the early hours of the day, and late at night. It is mostly served with ogi (pap), garri liquid and bread.

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What are the ingredients?

-          2 cups of peeled and washed beans

-          3 balls of ata rodo

-          1 chopped onion

-          Oil for frying

-          Salt to taste

-          Seasoning cubes

How do you prepare akara (bean cakes)?

1.      Grind the peeled beans.

2.      Mix the paste until it becomes very smooth.

3.      Pout the pureed beans into a bow. Use a mixer or whisk to turn for close to five minutes.

4.      Set a clean-dry pan on medium heat and add some oil. Heat the oil.

5.      Add salt, seasoning cubes, diced onions, and chopped pepper into the mixture and stir.

6.      Fry on each side until golden brown.

7.      Use a spoon to remove the akara balls from the hot oil and drain on a paper towel.

8.      Repeat this process until everything is well fried.

9.      Serve with bread, garri, ogi (pap) or fried yam.

     What you need to make pap

-          Wet corn starch (ogi/akamu)

-          Evaporated milk

-          Sugar

-          Water (hold and cold)

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How do you prepare pap?

-          Find a medium-sized bowl and put some lumps of pap. Make sure you get a big bowl because pap rises during preparation.

-          Crush the lumps of pap into small pieces with the help of a tablespoon.

-          Add cold water and mix the pap till you have a medium consistency with no sign of lumps. The pap should as thick as possible.

-          Boil water and ensure that it will be enough for preparing the pap.

-          Stir the bowl of pap very well because of it might have settled at the bottom of the bowl. And this can cause lumps.

-          Pour the boiled water slowly and steadily in a circular motion into the bowl and stir. You prevent lumps in the pap when you stir slowly and steadily.

-          Once the mixture is setting, do not stir again. Reduce the flow of water being poured until the pap is completely set.

-          Stir the pap well. Add more hot water if it is too thick for you. Ensure that you do not pour too much water to prevent the pap from getting too watery.

-          Add your liquid milk and sugar, and stir the pap in the perfect way that you like.

 

And enjoy!!!