INGREDIENTS
3 cups brown/ black beans
Banana leaves or any choice containers for steaming
2 cooking spoon vegetable oil
1 cup chicken stock (optional)
2 bell pepper ( tatashe )
1 onion
1 attarugu
3 table spoons ground crayfish
1 small boiled or smoked mackerel (Titus)
Smoked or raw prawns/ corned beef (optional)
4 boiled eggs
2 bollin cubes
Salt to taste
DIRECTION
Firstly soak your beans, then peel off the skin to make the peeling faster and easier. Soak the beans for 10 minutes then, using the pulse function on your jug blender, pulse a few times, this will cause each bean to split and the skin to fall off. Then pour in a bowl and complete by hand.
Now you will need to blend the beans. Preferably, blend with stockfish to infuse the rich flavour from the start, if you don’t blend with or add stockfish to moimoi, then you really are missing. Add the peppers and onions and blend – this should be very fine and frothy, with absolutely no lumps.
Pour contents into a bowl, now you will need to incorporate air into your moimoi better to make it fluffy and light. It’s advisable to use a stand or hand mixer for this, but if you haven’t got mixer, you can use a wooden spoon. Mix for 8 minutes or thereabouts.
Melt the palm oil in your microwave or a hob if you are using any. Leave to cool then add to the batter. Also add the vegetable mix thoroughly, then add the bollin cube, crayfish and salt to taste. Also add stockfish/ water, and your moimoi batter should not be thick or you’ll end up with hard moimoi. The consistency should be semi fluid but definitely not watery. Mix your batter once again with your hand mixer for 5 minutes, this is so the condiments and oil are well incorporated. After mixing, shred the smoked mackerel and add, and also add any other portion you are using. Stir and combine.
Wash your leaves if using any. Wash with a light foam sponge and salt to remove dirt and debris, and also cut off the stalks. Fold your leaf in doubles, then scoop 2 cooking spoon of batter into the folded leaves, add boiled egg, either whole or half or as you wish, then fold over. Repeat same process with remaining batter till exhausted.
Arrange the wrapped moimoi in a steamer, and if you haven’t got one, line a big pot with the stalks from the leaves. Add a few leaves also, this is to prevent the moimoi from sticking to the pot and to also keep water from seeping into your moimoi. Lift the leaves and pour some water in the pot to steam the moimoi with. Now place the moimoi on the leaves, cover tightly with a lid stream for 40-50 minutes on medium heat or until it sets. Do remember to check every now and then, and top up with water if necessary.
And it’s done! Enjoy with Pap, Garri, Eko, Custard, and Oatmeal or with boiled jollof or fried rice.
BY: UMMU KHULTHUM ABDULKADIR
