Akara: West African Black-Eyed Pea Fritters

I bought a container of fresh field peas just about every week I went to the farmers’ market this summer. They’ve turned into traditional Southern Pot o’ Peas every time, but this week I felt like something different. A little Googling came up with several recipes for akara, a West African fritter made from black-eyed peas, peppers, and onion. I combined them to create my own version.

They’re really easy to make, and they really satisfy that crispy-fried craving. Hot sauce makes a great condiment, so go easy on the hot peppers so it’s not overwhelmingly fiery. Oddly enough, these remind me of latkes more than anything else; maybe sour cream or applesauce will top them next time.

Akara
Makes about 1 dozen

1 cup fresh black-eyed peas (or 1 cup dried, soaked in water overnight)
1/2 medium or 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 hot chile pepper (jalapeño works well), seeded and minced
1/2 small onion, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Peanut or other vegetable oil
Hot sauce

Grind peas in a food processor until a thick, pasty consistency. Stir in peppers, onion, salt, and pepper. Add 1 to 2 tbsp. water to make a very thick batter.

Pour 1/2 inch oil into a medium sauté pan and heat over medium heat to 350°. Drop in batter by the large spoonful (fritters should be roughly golf-ball sized) and fry until deep brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve hot with hot sauce.