How to Cook Moimoi with Beans – Soft and Delicious Nigerian Moimoi Recipe

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Moimoi, also spelled Moi Moi, is a popular Nigerian steamed bean pudding made from blended beans and seasoned with ingredients such as pepper, onions, crayfish, oil and salt. It can be prepared in different ways and enriched with fish, eggs, meat or other toppings.

For me, one of the secrets to delicious Moimoi is not only the ingredients but also the texture of the bean paste. The beans need to be peeled properly and blended into a very smooth paste. A coarse paste can affect the smooth, soft and mouldable texture that makes well-prepared Moimoi so enjoyable.

In this recipe, I use Oloka beans, although you can use another suitable type of beans available to you. I also use crayfish instead of seasoning cubes to add depth and flavour to the Moimoi.

Let me show you how I prepare it.

Ingredients for Moimoi

For this recipe, you will need:

list-of-ingredients-for-moimoi

4 cups Oloka beans or another preferred type of beans
15 pieces Shombo pepper
2 sizeable onions
Enough crayfish
1 kg frozen fish
Bone marrow (Umi Anu)
1 cup red palm oil or another preferred cooking oil
Salt, to taste
Ginger, optional
Nutmeg, optional
Fish stock, about ½ cup
Food-grade nylon or Moimoi plates

Optional toppings

You can also add:

Cooked eggs
Pieces of fish
Meat
Additional toppings of your choice

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How to Prepare Moimoi

1. Wash and peel the beans

Pour the beans into a large washing bowl.

Add about 2 cups of water and begin washing the beans with your hands. Press and rub the beans gently with your hands to help remove the outer peels.

washed-beans

Continue washing until most of the peels have separated from the beans.

Add enough water to the bowl and use a sieve and another bowl to separate the peels from the beans.

Keep washing and sieving until the beans are properly peeled and relatively free from the skins.

Set the clean beans aside.

2. Prepare the ingredients

Cut and wash the Shombo peppers. Removing the seeds is optional.

Wash and prepare the onions, crayfish, ginger and any other ingredients you intend to blend.

The fish should also be cleaned and prepared. If you are using meat or bone marrow, prepare them beforehand so that the stock is ready when needed.

3. Blend the beans and other ingredients

Add the peeled beans, onions, crayfish, Shombo pepper, ginger and nutmeg into your blender.

Blend everything into a very fine, smooth paste.

You can use a home blender or an industrial blender. The important thing is to achieve a smooth paste.

A coarse bean paste can affect the smoothness and mouldable texture of the finished Moimoi, so blend thoroughly.

4. Mix the Moimoi paste

Pour the blended mixture into a large bowl.

Stir it very well. As you stir, you will notice the texture becoming smooth and cohesive. This helps give the finished Moimoi its beautiful texture.

Add:

mixing-beans-paste-with-ingredients

Red palm oil
Tiny pieces of chopped fish
Meat, if using
About ½ cup of fish stock
Salt

Stir everything together thoroughly for about 3 minutes.

The fish stock adds flavour while also contributing some liquid to the mixture, especially because water was already used during blending.

5. Check the consistency

well-stired-moimoi-paste

Check the consistency of your Moimoi paste and taste for salt.

If necessary, adjust the salt or texture.

Moimoi paste should generally be moderately thick. However, if you prefer a softer Moimoi, you can add a little more water to achieve your preferred consistency.

Whenever you add water or salt, stir the mixture very well so that everything is evenly distributed.

6. Scoop the Moimoi into containers

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You can use food-grade nylon, Moimoi plates, or suitable leaves for cooking your Moimoi.

Begin scooping the mixture into your chosen container.

If you want to make Moimoi with egg, you can add a piece of cooked egg at this stage.

You can also add a piece of fish if you want the fish to stand out as one of the toppings.

Tie the nylon securely or cover the Moimoi plate and set it aside.

Continue until all the Moimoi mixture has been used.

A useful cooking tip

About halfway through scooping the Moimoi, pause and put water in your cooking pot.

Place the pot on the fire so the water can become hot while you finish scooping the remaining Moimoi.

This saves time because your steaming water will be ready when you finish preparing the Moimoi.

7. Prepare the pot for steaming

The method you use depends on the container you have chosen.

If using Moimoi plates or leaves

Place small pieces of wood or carefully selected rope grass at the bottom of the pot. These help raise the plates or leaves above the base of the pot.

Arrange the Moimoi plates or wrapped leaves carefully inside the pot.

If using Moimoi plates directly

You can also arrange the plates in the pot and make sure the water level comes to about halfway up the plates.

This helps prevent the water from flooding the Moimoi.

Whichever method you use, keep checking the water level while the Moimoi cooks. Add more hot water when necessary to prevent the pot from drying out and burning.

8. Steam the Moimoi

Cover the pot properly and allow the Moimoi to cook for approximately 45 minutes.

The exact cooking time depends on the size of the portions. Larger scoops may require more time, while smaller portions can cook faster.

To check whether it is done, remove one portion from the pot and check the centre.

If the Moimoi has set properly and no longer has a wet, raw paste-like centre, it is ready.

checking-for-doneness

When fully cooked, carefully sieve out the remaining water.

Your Moimoi is ready to serve!

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How to Serve Moimoi

Moimoi is wonderfully versatile.

You can enjoy it:

On its own
With pap (akamu/ogi)
With rice
With a soft drink
With other Nigerian dishes of your choice

Personally, I prefer my Moimoi hot, because I love the soft, smooth and mouldable texture when it is freshly cooked.

Can Moimoi Be Reheated?

Yes. Moimoi can be reheated when you are ready to eat it.

You can also store Moimoi in the freezer for longer storage. When you want to eat it, reheat it thoroughly before serving.

Tips for Making Soft and Delicious Moimoi

Peel the beans properly

Removing the bean skins helps give Moimoi a smoother texture and appearance.

Blend the beans until very smooth

This is particularly important. A coarse bean paste can produce Moimoi that doesn’t have the smooth texture many people enjoy.

Don’t make the batter too watery

Start with a moderately thick consistency. You can always add a little water if you prefer softer Moimoi.

Stir thoroughly

Whenever you add water, salt, oil or other ingredients, stir very well so that everything is evenly distributed.

Keep enough water in the steaming pot

Check the pot periodically while cooking and add more water when necessary. Allowing the pot to dry out can cause the Moimoi to burn.

Final Thoughts

cooked-moimoi

Making Moimoi from beans may take some preparation, particularly when peeling the beans, but the result is worth the effort.

For me, the beauty of good Moimoi lies in its smoothness, softness and mouldable texture. Properly peeled beans, a very smooth blend and the right batter consistency all contribute to that result.

The combination of crayfish, onions, Shombo pepper, palm oil, fish, meat or bone marrow gives this Moimoi a rich and satisfying flavour without relying on seasoning cubes.

Serve it hot on its own, with pap, with rice, or enjoy it with your favourite accompaniment.

Once you get the texture right, you are well on your way to making delicious Nigerian Moimoi. Thank you for reading and do send me your feedback

How to Cook Moimoi