Akara bites originate from Nigeria, West Africa. Akara is a fritter, often eaten at breakfast or as tasty snack, made from black eyed beans, known as “black beans” in West Africa. Although this snack originates in Nigeria, you can also find variations in Ghana, Togo, Benin, Mali, The Gambia and Brazil (over there, it's known as acarajé).
Traditionally the dish uses dried beans, which are then re-hydrated, washed, peeled and blended, before being seasoned, fried and served hot. See below for a wonderful display of this process in action:
