The word Akara is Yoruba. In West Africa they call it Akara, in North West Africa and Ghana they call it Kose which is still Akara. Akara is called Akareje in Bahia and Brazil. Akara is “food” for the God’s. In Yoruba mythology and religion many deities and divinities eat Akara. Most of these deities are personified. Orisa Ibeje (goddess of twins) eats Akara, Ogun (god of Iron) eats Akara. Obatala (god of creation) eats Akara sangos (god of thunder) eats Akara. Olokun (goddess of the sea) eats Akara. Orunmiula (the custodian and the father of all divinities) eats Akara. Over 500 million West African eat Akara. Daily Akara is gluten free, dairy free and vegan friendly. The context of the sacred diet which Akara constitutes the ingredients most be pure.
Akara (Black eyed pea fritters) vigna-unguiculata, usually called cowpeas in English speaking Africa, also called China beans, and black eyed beans) are native to Asia, the middle East, and perhaps Africa. They were cultivated in the mediterranean region in ancient times, and have been grown all over Africa for centuries. In Western Africa they are used to make a batter from which fritters are made. These fritters (known as accra, akara, akla, binch akara, bean balls, kosai, koose, kose, koose and kwasi) are commonly prepared at home for breakfast, for snacks, or as an appetizer or side dish. They are also fast food, sold by vendors on the street in market places and at bus stations. The same recipe, with a very similar name is also known in the carribbean (www.congocookbook.com).
AIM: To assess the effect of oil types on the pysiochemical and sensory properties of fried bean balls (Akara).
OBJECTIVES
To determine the physiochemcial properties of fried bean balls (akara) such as the
Crude fibre
Crude protein
Moisture
Carbohydrate
Ash
Fat
To determine the sensory quality of “akara” obtained from the use of PALM KERNEL OIL, GROUNDNUT OIL and SOYBEAN OIL in terms of the
Colour
Aroma
Taste
Although this research is a requirement for the award of higher national diploma, this study is also targeted at discovering the effects of different types of frying oil on the physiochemical properties of fried beans balls (a product which is usually or readily consumed by students as a tasty snack).
It also focuses on the prediction of the acceptability of the product based on the acceptance of that obtained from an oil type, which will eventually transform the economic life of the retail snack sellers.
It also intends to determine the health risk possibility on the part of the consumers of “akara” produced from an oil types.
This work covers the processing of beans into processed beans cake. It also encircles the analyses of the products to investigate the physical, chemical and sensory properties (sensory appeal) of the products as a means to determining the type of oil which is best for making “akara”.
This work, however, does not encompass the investigation of the shelflife of the products it also does not involve scaling up of the composition of the bean slurry (ie extra addition of other ingredients apart form the conventional ones) to produce a new “akara” taste.