Akara
/əˈkɑː.rə/noun
A West African fritter made from seasoned puréed beans and fried in oil.
Did you know?The Yoruba word àkàrà traveled through the Atlantic world and survives in Brazil as acarajé, a food strongly associated with Candomblé religious traditions.
Etymological Timeline
Precolonial period
Yoruba
àkàrà
“A fried bean cake or fritter, traditionally made from puréed beans.”
18th–19th Century
Yoruba
àkàrà
“A common Yoruba food prepared by seasoning and frying bean batter.”
19th Century
Portuguese
acarajé
“Brazilian form derived from Yoruba àkàrà, with the Portuguese element jé meaning “to eat.””
20th Century
Nigerian English
akara
“A bean fritter; the word entered wider English usage through West African cuisine.”
Modern English
English
akara
“A West African bean fritter, also known as bean cake.”