Moin moin or moi moi is a popular Nigerian dish made from peeled beans, peppers, seasoning, oil and other ingredients. It is nutritious and delicious. Pair with pap for breakfast or with bread or eko for dinner.
MOIN MOIN RECIPE
This was one of my dad’s favourite meal. While growing up, my mum would cook it with palm oil ( party ones were with vegetable oil) and whole crayfish. It was the most delicious food ever.
That was how my dad loved it and that was how my mum cooked it. Good wife eh? Wait till you read this part..my dad liked his moin moin coming straight from the pot while the pot is still on heat and no! you can’t put two in a plate at a time. We used to go to the pot to bring one at a time till he’s had his fill after which we would then take the remaining moin moin off the stove. Memories!
Moin moin remain one of my favourite beans dishes, i like it fluffy, light , hot and delicious.
This recipe is easy and straightforward, Let me show you:
INGREDIENTS
Detailed ingredient list and directions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Black eyed peas or brown beans)
Scotch bonnet
Bell pepper (This determines the colour)
Onion
Bouillion (maggi) cubes
Ground crayfish
Salt
Oil- vegetable oil or palmoil or combination of both.
Optional ingredients
Mackerel fish
Eggs
HOW TO MAKE MOIN MOIN
Peel the beans. The easiest way to do this is by using blender. Click to see how to peel beans using blender.
Cut, wash, season and boil the mackerel fish. Set the stock aside for later use. Debone and shred the fish.
Blend the peeled beans with scotch bonnets, Bell pepper and onion. Blend as smoothly as possible. That very smooth texture might be difficult to get if you don’t have access to industrial blender but some home blenders do a good job at blending smoothly.
You see, the grinding is the first major factor that determines the texture. What you should aim for is a very smooth blending.
Blend smooth
Using electric mixer, mix the blended beans till fluffy. This will take roughly 5-10minutes. This is the second determinant of the texture. If you want it very fluffy don’t skip on this part.
If using palmoil, heat the palmoil in a pan and leave to cool to lukewarm. Heating the palmoil prevents curdling or raw taste of palmoil in moin moin.
Dissolve the bouillion (maggi) in 1/2 cup of hot water and leave to cool.
To the blended beans add the dissolved maggi, the fish stock from mackerel, salt to taste, crayfish and mix well.
PREPARATION
Add water to have a not too thick mixture. This part is another important determinant of the end result. You do not want it to be stone hard or too soft.
Add sunflower oil or palmoil or combination of both to the beans mixture. Mix well.
That’s the mixture ready for cooking.
LEAF METHOD
Layer the inside of your pot with from the leaves, add a little water and put a leaf on top. If you don’t have that with your leaves as they don’t sell leaves with this in the UK find an alternative to base it. I use old baking pan for this.
Wash the leaves thoroughly in warm water.
Fold the leaf, put in the beans mixture put a portion of the mackerel and egg, seal leaf and place in the pot.
Repeat this process till you’ve used up the beans mixture (or run out of leaves like I did.)
Cover the moin moin wraps in the pot with leaves to lock in steam before finally covering with the pot cover.
Check every 8-10 minutes to add water if dry till moin moin is cooked. This will take about an hour and the leaves would have changed colour.
Moin Moin is ready. It’s usually served with with Eko/Agidi , bread , garri, pap, custard.
The plating picture was taken the second day. I am my father’s daughters. I also take it from the pot one at a time and eat straightaway while still very hot. To me, that’s the best way to eat moin moin.
Oven and microwave moi moi
You can also steam moin moin in the oven or make use of microwave. For detailed instruction , check my post on oven baked moin moin and for making it in the micfrowave, check microwave moin moin post.
What to serve with
Serve with
Pap or Custard
Eko
Try these other beans recipes
More easy recipes on the blog
If you try this recipe, rate it and leave comment below. Don’t forget to use the share button below and share on social media.
Moin Moin – Moi Moi Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Black eyed peas or brown beans
- 2 Bell peppers
- 1-2 Scotch bonnet
- 1 large Onion
- 3 Bouillion (maggi) cubes
- 1/4 cup Ground crayfish or whole crayfish or mix of both
- 1/4 cup Oil Palm oil or vegetable oil
- Salt to taste
Optional
- Boiled Eggs
- Mackerel fish boiled and deboned
Instructions
- Peel the beans. The easiest way to do this is by using blender. Click HERE to see how.
- Cut, wash, season and boil the mackerel fish. Set the stock aside for use later. Debone and shred the fish.
- Blend the peeled beans with scotch bonnet, bell pepper and onion. Blend as smoothly as possible.
- Using electric mixer, mix the blended beans till fluffy. This will take roughly 5-10minutes.This is the second determinant of the texture. If you want very fluffy Moin Moin don’t skip on this part.
- If using palmoil, heat the palm oil in a pan and leave to cool to lukewarm. Heating the palmoil prevents curdling or raw taste of palmoil in moin moin.
- Dissolve the maggi in 1/4 cup of hot water and leave to cool.
- To the blended beans add the dissolved maggi, the fish stock from mackerel, salt to taste, crayfish and mix well.Add water to have a not too thick mixture. This part is another important determinant of the end result moin moin. You do not want a stone hard Moin Moin or one you will be scooping like water.
- Add sunflower oil or palm oil or combination of both to the beans mixture. That’s the mixture ready for cooking.
To Wrap in leaves (Moin Moin Elewe)
- Layer the inside of your pot with from the leaves, add a little water and put a leaf on top. If you don’t have that with your leaves as they don’t sell leaves with this in the UK find an alternative to base it. I use old baking pan for this.Wash the leaves thoroughly in warm water.Fold the leaf, put in the beans mixture put a portion of the mackerel and egg, seal leaf and place in the pot.Repeat this process till you’ve used up the beans mixtureCover the moin moin wraps in the pot with leaves to lock in steam before finally covering with the pot cover.Check every 8-10 minutes to add water till moin moin is cooked. This will take about 45 minutes to an hour and the leaves would have changed colour.Serve and enjoy
Oven baked or Microwave moin moin
- You can also steam moin moin in the oven or make use of microwave. For detailed instruction, check my post on oven baked moin moin and for making it in the micfrowave, check microwave moin moin post.
Video
Notes
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Originally published February 27, 2014, republished March 2020.
If using moin moin cans, can I cover the cans with foil paper to lock in the steam before covering with the pot cover?
Hello Itoro and sorry for responding late. Yes you can cover with foil to lock in steam b4 covering with pot lid. That is how I do it
Where can you get Moin Moin leaves?
Anne B, Where do u live? I live in London and I get it from my local food store
In US 🙂
I made this last week and it tasted so good. I also prefer eating it on the 2nd day. The moinmoin leaves definitely gives it a better flavor, way better than cooking in foil packs.
Welldone Krystal. You are right moin moin cooked in leaves gives best taste.