Senegalese Accara Bean Fritter Sandwiches with Onion Sauce

Ingredients

• 300 g dried black-eyed beans
• 2 onions
• 1 scotch bonnet chilli
• 2 garlic cloves
• 400 g chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 750 ml sunflower oil, for deep-frying
• 400 g crusty bread

Method

1. 1

   Soak the black-eyed beans in cold water for at least 1 hour (or overnight). Rub handfuls between your palms to loosen the skins, flood the bowl so the skins float off and pour them away; repeat until the beans are almost all skinless.

2. 2

   Blend the beans with half an onion, half the scotch bonnet, 1 garlic clove, 1 tsp salt and just enough water (about 4 tbsp) to make a thick, smooth paste. Whisk hard with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes to beat in air.

3. 3

   For the onion sauce, heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a pan and fry the remaining onions, sliced, for 8 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and chilli, the tomato purée and chopped tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes until thick. Season.

4. 4

   Heat the rest of the oil in a deep, heavy pan (no more than a third full) to 175C, or until a drop of batter sizzles and rises straight away. Never leave hot oil unattended.

5. 5

   Drop in tablespoons of batter, a few at a time, and fry for 3-4 minutes, turning, until deep golden and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper.

6. 6

   Split the bread (a Senegalese baguette is traditional), fill with the hot accara and spoon over the onion sauce.