In search of a new appetizer recipe? Let Haitian accras be your pick. Typically, accras can be described as fried dumplings made out of malangas. Malangas are one of the oldest underground root crops in the world and are also known as tannia, malanga amarilla, yautia amarilla, taro or cocoyam. The malanga is quite a strange brown and hairy tuber with patchy thin skin; some malangas are very long while some others are rather curvy with either pinkish flesh, ream-colored flesh or yellow flesh. Any visit in an African, Caribbean or Asian market should provide you with malangas and allow you to enjoy the crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside accras/dumplings. You should know that Haitian accras are usually made from malangas only whereas accras from other countries can be made of malangas mixed with black-eyed peas. And while I do not eat them very often, I can guarantee that serving hot accras with a good Haitian punch is a fantastic way to entertain your guests and open their appetite!
Haitian accras
Serves | 6-8 |
Prep time | 30 minutes |
Cook time | 20 minutes |
Total time | 50 minutes |
Dietary | Gluten Free |
Meal type | Appetizer, Snack |
Ingredients
- 1lb of malangas
- 3 scallions, (chopped)
- 2 medium onions, (chopped)
- 1 garlic clove, (chopped)
- ½ to 2scotch bonnet peppers, (chopped)
- Salt, black pepper and turmeric ((to taste))
- 2 cups vegetable oil
Directions
1. | Peel and wash the malangas. Cut them into medium-sized chunks and proceed to fine shredding using a food processor |
2. | Add the scallions, onions, garlic clove, scotch bonnet pepper, salt, black pepper, and turmeric to the malangas in the food processor; blend until a smooth mixture is obtained. |
3. | Heat up the oil in a pan and place on high heat |
4. | When the oil reaches a very high temperature, scoop full tablespoons of the malangas mixture and fry them one at a time |
5. | When the accras get a golden brown color, turn them on the other side |
6. | When both sides of the accras have the golden brown or dark brown color, remove them from the pan and drain them on kitchen (paper) towels |
7. | Serve hot |