Saltfish Accra with Homemade Tamarind Sauce

saltfish

🥗Healthier: cod

💰Cheaper: canned tuna

Canned tuna is more affordable and widely available.

all-purpose flour

🥗Healthier: whole wheat flour

💰Cheaper: cornmeal

Cornmeal can be a cost-effective alternative.

lime juice

🥗Healthier: lemon juice

💰Cheaper: vinegar

Vinegar is a budget-friendly souring agent.

scallions

🥗Healthier: chives

💰Cheaper: green onions

Green onions are often less expensive and provide similar flavor.

Welcome back to another episode of Simply Local.

Today we're making saltfish fritters, also known as akra, with a twist using jalapenos instead of hot peppers.

Rinse the saltfish to remove excess salt and then boil it for about five minutes.

Change the water once during boiling to ensure it's not too salty.

Taste the water to check saltiness; if it's okay, you may not need to add more salt later.

Chop the boiled saltfish finely and set it aside.

Combine dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, turmeric, chopped onion, garlic, and jalapenos in a bowl.

Slowly add water to the dry mixture to achieve the right consistency; do not add all at once to avoid making it too runny.

Let the mixture rest to allow the yeast to activate.

Prepare the tamarind sauce by adding tamarind, garlic, and a piece of scorpion pepper to a pot.

Allow the tamarind to steep to extract flavors before adding sugar.

Once the tamarind has steeped, add sugar and a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce.

Check the akra mixture; it should have doubled in size, indicating it's ready to fry.

Drop spoonfuls of the akra mixture into hot oil to fry until golden brown and crispy.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens