Moi-Moi Preparation (Beans Pudding)
At its core, moi-moi is made from black-eyed peas or brown beans, which are peeled and blended into a smooth paste. The preparation begins by soaking the beans to soften them, followed by peeling to remove the outer skin. This labor-intensive step is crucial for achieving a smooth texture. After peeling, the beans are blended with spices, onions, bell peppers, and sometimes tomatoes, creating a vibrant and flavorful batter.
Equipment
- 1 Blender or Grinder
- 1 Pot
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Whisk
Ingredients
- 3 cups beans Use honey bean or black eye peas
- 1 to 3 sweet peppers fresh paprika or tatashe
- 2 cups vegetable oil or palm oil
- 1 Onions
- 1 to 3 tbsp ground crayfish
- 2 tbsp nutmeg optional
- Ginger and garlic optional
- 2 - 4 seasoning cubes
- salt to taste
- Habanero or Scotch bonnet pepper to taste
Moi-moi Protein Accessories (usage is optional)
- 1 kg Mackerel optional
- 6 to 7 eggs optional
- corned beaf optional
- sadines optional
- smoked fish (cleaned and gutted) optional
Instructions
- Parboil the fish, remove the center bones, and break it into smaller pieces. Set the stock aside.
- Please remove the seeds from the shombo (pepper) and ensure that the beans are thoroughly washed or peeled.
- Combine crayfish, shombo, onions, and bl
- Put the contents in a large bowl. Next, add oil, any fish or protein you prefer, two seasoning cubes, and fish stock. Stir everything together well.
- Add salt and taste for salt
- Pour the mixture into plates or moi moi wrappers, banana leaf or foil.
- Tranfer to the pot for steaming/cooking
- Add water slowly, making sure it does not go above the level of the first plate.
- Cook or steam for 40 to 50 minutes.
If you want to use baking method
- Following the steaming method, soak and peel the beans, then blend them with the other ingredients.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a baking dish and pour the moin moin mixture into it.
- Cover the dish with foil to prevent drying out. Bake for about 45 minutes to an hour, checking for doneness. The edges should pull away slightly from the sides of the dish.
Notes
You can use brown honey beans, which are available in Nigeria. For the best taste, choose a vegetable oil that doesn’t have a strong flavour or smell. You can use either fish or beef-flavoured seasoning cubes to enhance the dish. If you want to make this meal vegan or vegetarian, just leave out the crayfish and use any other seasonings you like instead of the seasoning cube. If you’re allergic to crayfish or can’t find it where you live, feel free to skip it and add extra seasoning cubes for more flavour.