Moin Moin/Moi Moi is a traditional Nigerian dish made from steamed ground beans, spices, and seasonings. Moin Moin/Moi Moi is a savory meal that is incredibly flavorful and nutritious. It is a popular choice for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike as you can opt to add your choice of fish or meats to this recipe.
While growing up in Nigeria, Moi Moi was one of those meals we always looked up to getting to on the family’s weekly meal plan table. It is simply delicious and absolutely one of our favorite meals to enjoy as breakfast with tapioca, oats, the popular nasco cornflakes, or pap; all served with cubes of sugar and a generous topping of peak milk. As an early dinner, Moin Moin/Moi Moi was typically enjoyed in our family with hot Agege bread and hot chocolate (popularly called tea or Milo while we grew up) on cool or cold Nigerian nights or sweetened garri in cold water on warmer nights.
Moin Moin/Moi Moi is one of the meals that brings an intense sense of nostalgia to a typical Nigerian adult.
This classic recipe with a little twist will help guide you to make your absolutely delicious Moin Moin/Moi Moi.
Utensils And Appliances Needed For Making Moin Moin/Moi Moi:
Bowls
Knife
Food Chopper
Blender
Colander
Egg Slicer (Optional)
Whisk (Optional)
Wooden Spatula
Scoop
Banana leaves, aluminum foil pocket, or tin cups (for wrapping)
Steamer or Cooking Pot
Ingredients For Making Moin Moin/Moi Moi:
3 Cups of Honey Beans
2 Fresh Red Bell Peppers (Large)
3 Scotch Bonnet (adjust to preferred heat level)
2 Onions
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 inch of ginger, peeled
2 Tbs of Ground Crayfish
1/2 Cup Odorless Cooking Oil
3 Bouillon Cubes / 2 Tsp B. Powder
1.5 Cups of Cooked Makarel (Or preferred choice of fish. Deboned)
3 Hard-boiled Eggs
Salt (To Taste)
Instructions For Making Moi Moi:
Gather all ingredients and utensils for your cooking convenience.
Add water to the measured beans in the bowl, and start peeling by hand or with a blender after about 3 minutes. If peeling with a blender, scoop some soaked beans in the blender with some water and press the pulse button to peel the beans at short intervals 4-5 times till the peels are obviously off the beans. Transfer the peeled beans from the blender to another bowl, add water, and rinse off the peels into a colander to avoid clogging the sink with the peels. Repeat the process until all the beans have been peeled and soak the peeled beans in lightly salted water for 3-4 hours to soften it.
If using peeled beans, rinse the beans thoroughly under cold water and soak them in lightly salted water for 3-4 hours. After soaking, drain the water from the beans and rinse them again.
In a blender, add the softened beans, onion, red bell peppers, scotch bonnet peppers, garlic, and ginger. Blend until a little after you have achieved a smooth paste-like consistency. Blending for a bit longer helps the Moin Moin/Moi Moi come out fluffier. You may need to add a little water to facilitate blending, but be cautious not to add too much, as you want a thick batter.
Transfer the blended mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add vegetable oil, ground crayfish, bouillon powder or seasoning cubes, and salt to taste. Mix everything together thoroughly, ensuring that the seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the batter. You can use a whisk to achieve a fluffier batter.
If you’re using banana leaves, cut them into rectangular pieces and briefly pass them over an open flame to soften them. If banana leaves are not available, you can use store-bought aluminum foil packets specifically designed for making Moin Moin/Moi Moi or tin cups as a substitute.
Scoop the batter into the folded banana leaves, foil, or tin cup, filling them to about two-thirds full. If you are a meat lover, add slices of eggs, chunks of cooked fish, and/or meat to each cupped batter. Fold the leaves or foil to enclose the batter securely, forming parcels or packets. If using tin cups, cover the tin cups with foil and seal around the edges in order to prevent steam from getting into the cups and creating a soggy mess of the batter.
Fill the steamer or cooking pot to ⅕ or ¼ with water. Arrange the wrapped batter packets or tin cups in the steamer or pot with a steaming rack or equivalent. Make sure to leave some space between each packet for steam circulation. Steam the batter over medium heat for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the pudding is set and firm to the touch. Check occasionally and add more water to the steamer or pot if necessary to prevent it from drying out and/or burning.
Once cooked, carefully remove the Moin Moin from the steamer and allow them to cool slightly before unwrapping. Serve it warm or at room temperature, either as a standalone dish or as a side accompaniment to other Nigerian delicacies such as jollof rice, fried plantains, or grilled fish.
Let us know how things turn out when you decide to try your hand at making Moi Moi with our recipe.
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