Koose is made from cowpeas or black-eyed beans. It’s simply the Hausa version of Akara; beans paste mixed with a variety of ingredients and fried to a yummy crispy buns-like food, often accompanied with bread and pap (porridge), and mostly taken as breakfast. It is a popular street food which also doubles as a snack. The koose is also popular amongst the Hausas in Ghana, they call it Akla. Cowpea, the main ingredient used in the preparation of koose aids digestion, and helps to regulate blood sugar. It’s equally high in iron and good for the heart.
Ingredients2 cups of black-eyed beans5 chilli pepper (shombo)2 medium-sized onion2 balls of red pepper ( tatashe)Warm water for mixing3 Maggi cubesVegetable oil for deep fryingSalt to tasteDirections
Soak the beans for 10 minutes to avoid the skin sticking to the body of the beans, hence making it difficult to wash the beans.
Soon after soaking the beans, peel the skin off by rubbing them with your hands thoroughly. Then rinse the beans so the peeled off skin can float to the top after which you sieve it away (the water containing the floating peeled skin).
This will leave the skinless white part of the beans, which you will promptly blend in a blender/food processor or at a commercial mill. You’ll blend the beans together with the red ball pepper (tatashe), chilli pepper (shombo) and the onion.
After blending pour the mixture into a big bowl or a mortar, add salt, the Maggi cubes, a teaspoon of vegetable oil and a little water and stir using a turning stick or a pestle.
Pour the vegetable oil into a frying pan and let it heat.
Using a soup ladle, scoop the paste into the sizzling oil to form balls one scoop at a time. Fry each side of the ball until golden brown
