Why Akara deserves more attention

Akara rarely gets the international recognition it deserves. The spicy and bold complexity is genuine, not simple, and the technique involved in using palm oil correctly takes real skill.

Nigerian cuisine varies between the Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, and other ethnic culinary traditions. I encountered it first in a Lagos buka local restaurant and that context helped me understand it properly. Fanta orange is the natural accompaniment and the combination makes the case for the dish. If you haven't explored this cuisine seriously, Akara is the dish to start with.