This finger food creation – Akara-Ojojo Snack – was accidental. I was going to make some Akara on a Saturday morning using processed beans flour and I found out too late that the quantity left would not be enough. So I went into my invention mode and looked around for what I could use to supplement. I had some Water Yam tubers and so I grated about a quarter of a small tuber. It did not take long to grate because the portion was not so much.
The beans flour was already soaking in some warm water as written on the package and I mixed it with the grated water yam (50/50 combination). I added blended pepper mix (tomatoes, onions, scotch bonnet, and garlic) from my freezer, about 2 teaspoons of dried Shrimps (common called crayfish) to improve the protein quality and I added salt to taste. I also added a dash of ground black pepper and tumeric powder to add more flavour.
I shallow-fried the Akara-Ojojo in oil. Normally, I use coconut oil to fry these days but I ran out of that too so I made do with some regular oil.
The Akara-Ojojo Snack is nutritious. It contains carbohydrates, good quality protein, veggies and fats and oil. If you feel like trying this out, you can add add other ingredients of your choice like leafy vegetables for example.
I doubted that this would be a hit with my toddlers but I was wrong. They loved it and ate it with relish; coming back for multiple rounds till their stomachs were like globes (the fresh tomato strips were flung away though). The Adults also liked it and I think that it is something that I would try again sometime to standardize the recipe.
Growing up…I disliked the wateryam ojojo so much!! Maybe my adult taste buds can deal with it now.
Well, you would not know until you try again. fingers crossed. ..don’t forget to tell me about it…