MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
 
      Title: Bean Fritters with Hot Sauce
 Categories: Shrimp, Beans, Sauces, African, Chilies
      Yield: 40 Fritters
 
      1 c  Dried black-eyed peas
           FOR HOT SAUCE:
      2    Red bell peppers; chopped
      1 md Onion; chopped
      1 md Tomato; chopped
      1 ts Fresh habanero chile;
           -with seeds, minced
      1 ts Salt
    1/4 c  Vegetable or peanut oil
    1/2 ts Dried shrimp; up to 1 ts,
           -ground (optional)
           FOR FRITTERS:
    1/2 md Onion; finely chopped
    1/4 ts Fresh habanero chile;
           -with seeds, minced
      1 lg Egg
      1 ts Salt
      7 tb Water
      7 c  Vegetable or peanut oil
 
  These bean fritters appear in several West African countries; they
  are called akara in Nigeria and Sierra Leone and akla or koose in
  Ghana. Although eaten as a snack or side dish, bean fritters are
  also consumed as breakfast food with hot sauce as an accompaniment
  (it's more like a thick relish than a sauce). We think the
  fritters are great as an hors d'oeuvre.
  
  Although we use vegetable oil for frying in our recipe, red palm
  oil is the preferred frying medium in Africa. And traditionally
  the black-eyed peas are skinned, but we think you get more bean
  flavor if you leave the skins on (and save a lot of time as well).
  
  Prepare peas: Soak peas in water to cover by 2 inches for 8 hours.
  Drain in a colander.
  
  Make sauce: Puree bell peppers, onion, tomato, chile, and salt in
  a food processor.
  
  Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat
  until hot but not smoking, then cook puree over moderate heat,
  stirring, about 8 minutes. Stir in ground shrimp. Cook, stirring
  occasionally, until most of liquid is evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes
  more.
  
  Make fritters: Puree drained peas, onion, and chile in a food
  processor until as smooth as possible and blend in egg and salt.
  Blend in 6 tablespoons water until smooth and fluffy, adding
  remaining 2 tablespoons water if necessary to form a batter just
  thin enough to drop from a spoon.
  
  Fry fritters: Heat 2 inches oil in a 4-quart Dutch oven or a wide
  4 inch deep heavy pot until a deep fat thermometer registers
  375 F, then gently drop batter by tablespoons into hot oil, formingu
  8 fritters. Fry until golden, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side, and
  transfer to paper towels to drain. Make more fritters in same
  manner, returning oil to 375 F between batches.
  
  Cooks' note: Holding tablespoon about 9 inch away from hot oil
  and gently dropping batter into oil will help form a uniform
  fritter.
  
  Gourmet May 2000

  From: Josefina Anita Brown-King

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