Akara – Black-Eyed Pea Fritters
The black-eyed pea is a vital legume crop for many Togolese families, probably second only to corn in terms of popularity. It provides calories and nutrients to the locals, as well as tons of joy in the form of the delicious snack Akara.
How can this popular Latin American street food be a Togolese snack? Actually, Akara was most likely invented by the Yoruba people of Nigeria. They used to cook it to commemorate victories over their enemies and to mourn the death of elders. It managed to gain a lot of traction in West Africa. As enslaved black people arrived in the New World, the snack spread. It is now strongly associated with Brazil and a number of Caribbean countries.
Anyway, Akara is a spice-packed spherical snack made from black-eyed peas. Some recipes include non-vegetarian ingredients such as cashews, tomatoes, or shrimp. Those fritters are deep-fried in palm oil, which gives them their distinctive bronze color.
