Koose is a popular street food in Ghana, and a similar variation is more popularly known as akara in much of West Africa. In fact, the origins of koose or akara are linked to the Hausa people, who are scattered across West Africa, but are mainly concentrated in Nigeria. Koose (kosai, akara, akla) is made from ground cowpeas or black-eyed peas.
For this recipe, you will need a pestle and mortar or a food processor, a blender, and a medium saucepan for deep-frying.
Ingredients
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1 1/2 cups dried black-eyed peas, or cowpeas
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1 medium onion
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1 (1-inch) piece ginger
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1/2 to 1 Scotch Bonnet pepper, or habanero pepper
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1/2 cup water
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1 teaspoon flaked sea salt
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4 cups vegetable oil, for frying
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Prepare the beans by soaking and de-hulling 2 days in advance.
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Place the beans into a sturdy blender and begin to pulse until smooth. Add 1/4 cup of water at a time to facilitate the blending process.
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Add the onion, ginger, and Scotch Bonnet pepper to the blender.
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Pulse until smooth.
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Add the sea salt flakes and mix them into the batter.
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Heat up the cooking oil in a small- to medium-sized saucepan.
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Test the readiness of the oil by adding a shaved piece of ginger. If it sizzles and rises to the top, the oil is hot enough.
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Using a tablespoon to scoop the batter, spoon about 5 tablespoons of batter into the oil. You will see them puff up into round balls.
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Allow to fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn them halfway through to ensure they are evenly browned.
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Once cooked, scoop them out of the oil using a slotted spoon or spider, and allow to drain on a paper towel.
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Serve as a snack with hot pepper sauce or tomato gravy. You can also enjoy them the traditional Hausa breakfast way, with porridge known as hausa koko.
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Enjoy.
Tip
- To ease yourself into making koose with whole beans, start the process up to 2 days in advance of cooking by soaking and de-hulling the beans. You can then store them in the fridge or freezer until ready for use.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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153 | Calories |
10g | Fat |
11g | Carbs |
4g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 15 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 153 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 10g | 13% |
Saturated Fat 1g | 4% |
Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
Sodium 144mg | 6% |
Total Carbohydrate 11g | 4% |
Dietary Fiber 2g | 7% |
Total Sugars 1g | |
Protein 4g | |
Vitamin C 1mg | 3% |
Calcium 21mg | 2% |
Iron 1mg | 8% |
Potassium 201mg | 4% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |