HOW TO MAKE MOI MOI (BEAN CAKE)

Sunday, February 5, 2023

Moi Moi photo credit: Sisi Jemimah.

Moi Moi also known as bean cake is a traditional food in Nigeria made from pureed beans. It is a staple food that can be served as breakfast alongside a bowl of custard or pap. It can also be served with jollof rice, or fried rice, and can be enjoyed as a main dish as well. 

 

Moi moi is an outstanding dish.  Trust me, you do not have to be a Nigerian to enjoy it. It is moist and fluffy with a great taste if properly prepared. It is the kind of food you prepare with love. 😍

I will be sharing some recipes I learned from my mom. she makes the best budget-friendly moi moi I have ever had. 

Moi moi can be stuffed with fish, boiled eggs, corned beef, shrimp, or shredded beef or chicken... depending on your individual preference.  There are various ways of cooking moi moi. It can either be steamed in a plastic cup, foil cups, banana leaves, plastic/freezer bags, etc. depending on what you have at your disposal. 

INGREDIENTS

4 cups black or red-eyed beans

Garlic cloves

Scotch bonnet pepper

2 Bell peppers

2 bulb onions

Groundnut/sunflower oil

3 tablespoons grounded crayfish

 

Salt to taste

Bullion cubes

Boiled eggs

Banana leaves/ plastic cups

INSTRUCTIONS

  

STEP 1: Soak the beans for about 10 minutes, and drain the water after soaking. Transfer the beans to a blender and add enough water to cover the beans. Hit the pulse button on the blender to crush the beans. Be careful not to over-crush the beans in this step, as it will make it difficult to separate the skin from the beans. 

STEP 2: Transfer the crushed beans into a bowl and rub them between your palm. Pour in a generous amount of water and drain the skin from the beans. Repeat this process until the skin is completely off the beans. 

Photo credit: Sisi Jemimah

STEP 3: 

 

Transfer the clean beans to the blender in batches, try not to overload your blender. Add water, bell pepper, onions, and garlic and blend to a smooth paste.  It is a very important part of the process that your batter is very smooth. After blending everything together, pour it back into the blender and blend it together. You can also use a mixer to mix the batter together if you have one. This helps to incorporate air into the batter which will make your moi moi fluffy and light. Your batter should not be too thick, and the consistency should be semi-fluid.

 

                                          photo credit: Sisi Jemimah

STEP 4: I like to add some palm oil to my moi moi. So, I heat up some in a saucepan or a microwave to melt. Add it to the batter when it cools off. Proceed to add your vegetable oil and stir until it is properly mixed. Add your crayfish, bullion cubes, and salt to taste. Make sure you mix thoroughly to make sure all ingredients are well incorporated. 

                                             photo credit: Sisi Jemimah

STEP 5: Add the Shredded beef, Chicken, Shrimp, or protein, of choice and mix. Please note that your protein must be cooked before being added to the batter.

STEP 6: Scoop the batter into your chosen container. Add the boiled egg either as a whole or in halves. Make sure it is properly covered with a lid as the steam can get in and ruin your moi moi as it might end up watery. If you are using banana leaves, wash them properly to remove all specks of dirt and sand. Double your leave and fold like a cup. scoop your desired amount of batter into the folded leave and close properly. 

                                                    photo crredit: Sisi Jemimah

STEP 7: Place your container or leaves in a steamer for about 40-50 minutes until well cooked. If you do not have a steamer, put some water in a pot, allow it to boil, place your moi moi in the pot, and then cover. The water level should not be higher than the containers in the pot so the water doesn't boil into the batter and ruin it. While cooking, do not allow the water in the pot to dry up completely if the moi moi isn't properly cooked, it could start to burn. 

  

STEP 8: Check the pot intermittently to make sure your moi moi is properly cooked.

Enjoy your moi moi just as you like. Either as a side dish with Jollof rice, Fried rice, Pap, Custard, or even Bread, or you can have it as a main dish. 

photo credit: Nigerian tasty foods

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