AKARA OSU (Method 3)

Akara Osu

If you have ever traveled through the Ibadan/Ife Expressway, you’d be familiar with this akara
popularly sold at the old toll gate entering into Ile Ife. It’s unique for its pale colour as compared to
regular akara. It’s quite fluffy and dainty and you can be sure to have bread sellers shoving their
wares into your face, so you can pair your bread with the Akara (Risky Burger it is called). 

A bit of History Lesson.

After I shared this post on Facebook, two of the readers gave me a bit of history lesson on AKARA
OSU . 

Yinka KuzyCosy Fagbohun said,

“Akara Osu got its name from Osu. Osu is a small town immediately after Ile- Ife and they
are known for akara to badt whether elepo or olororo.Even with ede/prawn(whole). I

remember when I was much younger(not like I am too agbalagba na oo ) , we used

to travel through that town on our way to the village in Ekiti. And I always looked forward
to us making a stopover at Osu for some sizzling hot and yummy akara with bread.

O dun baje.

The spot they are now on old Ile-Ife isn’t where they have always been. They moved because
of the Ile- Ife / Ilesa expressway that had totally cut Osu off ,which meant less travellers on
that Osu route .So the need to go meet the mountain. “

Ife Watson said

“I kind of still disagree with this notion that they are the ones who moved. Because I know
most of the people selling Akara there now are from Modakeke in Ife. And the original
Akara osu wasn’t even this pale. Also,  there’s still a spot on the Ilesha/Akure express where
Akara Osu is still being sold. I grew up in Ife that’s why I’m insisting on my explanation

.”

Recipe

 2 cups White Beans 

 1 tbsp  blended pepper mix (i used 1 scotch bonnet -atarodo- and 2 small jalapeños
-bawa/sombo/long tatashe- and 1/2 a small onion)

 Salt (to taste )

 *Seasoning (optional, if using, just add to taste)

 1 cup of water

 1 litre vegetable oil for frying 

Procedure.

 Follow the steps in Method 1 

  Heat up the oil and fry multiple of the balls on heat that is between low and medium, fry
each side for not longer than 30secs turning it constantly till it down. You don’t want the
balls to take on a dark brown colour. 

Scoop with a slotted spoon into a dish lined with paper towel or a sieve. 

Akara Osu is peculiar for its pale colour with faint specs of pepper.

Risky Burger (Agege Bread and Akara Osu)