How to cook Nigerian Moi Moi

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Moi Moi (also Moin Moin) is a great dish accessory in Nigeria. It is commonly seen accompanying Jollof Rice, Fried Rice, Fried Plantain, Custard, Akamu (Pap, Ogi) etc. It can even be eaten alone as a snack with a chilled soft drink to wash it down.

Due to its popularity, Moi Moi is often served at parties, dinners and other special occasions.

Ingredients

I usually cook Moi Moi in a large quantity and store in my freezer so the following quantities of ingredients make 12 aluminium bags of Moi Moi. Each bag weighs 420g.

• 3 cigar cups or 750g Beans (Brown/Black eyed)
• 5 tablespoons ground crayfish
• 4 big stock cubes
• 1 habanero pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 3 tatashe peppers or 800g watery tomato puree (sold outside Nigeria)
• 2 big onions
• 20cl vegetable oil
• 2 litres of cool or warm water
• Salt (to taste)

Moi Moi Accessories Add any of the following to the Moi Moi

• Hard boiled eggs: Cut the eggs into small pieces.
• Bone Marrow: Cook the bone marrow with spices and herbs till done then add to the Moi Moi at the mixing stage.
• Corned beef: separate into small chunks and add to the moi moi during mixing. You can also add to the moi moi after dishing then into cooking bowls or foil bags.

Moi Moi Containers

• Aluminium foil or
• Plastic Bowls or
• Uma Leaves (Thaumatococcus Daniellii)
• Jacket Moi Moi

Tools I used

• Cooker
• Deep Pot
• Spatula
• Chopping board
• Blender
• Knives

Notes on the ingredients

1. The tomato puree gives the Moi Moi its classic peachy colour. If you are in Nigeria, the best ingredient to use is tatashe pepper. I do not like the taste of red bell peppers in my Moi Moi hence I do not recommend it but you can try it and see if you like it.
2. Nutmeg gives the Moi Moi its classic taste. If you've ever eaten Nigerian Moi Moi at a party and wondered why it tastes better than the ones you make, it is probably because you do not add nutmeg to your Moi Moi.
3. 2 litres of water is the exact quantity of water that gives me the perfect texture of Moi Moi that I and my family love. Please note that this qauntity includes the water used in blending the beans. If using bone marrow, the quantity of stock should be part of the 2 litres of liquid you will use in mixing the Moi Moi. If after using this quantity and you are not happy with the texture, adjust the quantity of water accordingly.
4. It is best to use cool or warm water when mixing Moi Moi. You do not want to use hot water for this purpose as it may cause the mix to be lumpy.
5. Using the right amount of oil in your Moi Moi ensures that it has a good texture and rolls off the tongue when you eat it but feel free to use any amount of oil you want. And it is advisable to use tastless and odourless oils in your Moi Moi so that rules out olive oil.

Before you cook Moi Moi

1. About three hours before cooking the moi moi, soak and wash the beans to remove the coat. When the entire coat has been removed, place the beans in a bowl and pour enough water to cover it. Leave to soak for three hours. This is so that the best consistency will be achieved when you blend the beans.
2. It is advisable to use one of eggs, bone marrow or corned beef, not the three at the same time. If you will use eggs, cook till hard boiled, cut into small pieces and set aside. If you prefer bone marrow, cook it with salt and Maggi / Knorr cubes and set aside the stock. If it is corned beef you will go for, open the can and separate the beef into small lumps.
3. Now go ahead and prepare the moi moi containers.

Next ...

1. Wash the tatashe pepper (if using it). Ensure you remove the tatashe seeds as they have a tendency to give meals a bitter taste.
2. Cut the onions into pieces, grind the crayfish with a dry mill. If using the heavy duty grinder in Nigerian markets, these won't be necessary.
3. Crush the stock cubes and set aside. Wash the habanero/scotch bonnet peppers and set aside.
4. Now that the beans is soaked (the bean seed is tender when you pinch it), it is time to blend it. It is very important that you use a very good blender for this purpose. The taste and feel of your Moi Moi depends so much on the consistency of the blend. If in doubt, put a small quantity of bean seeds in your home blender and grind to the best of its ability using as small quantity of water as possible. Feel the resulting paste with your fingers and if you notice any tiny pieces at all, then the blender is not good for Moi Moi. At this time, you may consider using the commercial heavy duty mills at your local market if you are in Nigeria. Yes, you have your health and hygiene concerns but most of the mill operators actually keep their mills clean. And they let you bring your own water and containers. So there you go!

Cooking Directions

1. Blend the beans, tatashe or tomato puree, onions, crayfish, habanero pepper and ground nutmeg together with some of the water and pour the mix into a big enough bowl.
2. Add the vegetable oil and the bone marrow stock (if this is what you have chosen to add to your moi moi).
3. Slowly add the remaining water and stir the mixture at the same time till you get a good mix of all the ingredients.
4. Add salt to taste and stir very well.

   Note: Moi Moi is one of the Nigerian food recipes that is prepared cold. All the mixing and adding of ingredients is done off the stove. That is to say, once you start cooking, there is no going back! You cannot decide to add more salt or seasoning or a new ingredient later. So getting it right at the mixing stage is very important.

5. Pad the base of a big pot, pour some water and set on the stove. The depth of the water should be at most 1 inch.
6. Dish the Moi moi mix into containers of your choice, add egg/bone marrow/corned beef to each container, seal/cover and set them in the pot.
7. Add as small quantity of water as possible at a time while cooking the Moi Moi as detailed in preparation and use of moi moi containers so that the moi moi will not become watery when done. This is the case especially when using aluminium foil or uma leaves.
8. The length of time you will cook your Moi Moi depends on the quantity and the Moi Moi container you used.
   The Moi Moi that gets done quickest is the one wrapped in Uma or Banana leaves, followed by Moi Moi wrapped in aluminum foils then the one that takes the most time is Moi Moi cooked in aluminium or plastic plates.
   But whatever Moi Moi container you use, it is advisable to cook your Moi Moi for at least 1 hour, before checking it. Confirm that it is done by putting a knife through it, if the knife is stained with Moi Moi paste, then the Moi Moi is not done, but if the knife just has a slight smear of Moi Moi, then it's done. Also, when you cut through the Moi Moi, the insides will be set and not watery.
   If you are cooking a few wraps of Moi Moi in a small pot on high heat, then it will only take about 45 minutes to get done while when you are cooking a large pot of Moi Moi, it will definitely take more than one hour.

Serve with chilled fruit juice or coconut juice. Serve as a side dish to Jollof Rice, Fried Rice or Fried Plantains. For breakfast, serve with Custard or Akamu (Pap, Ogi).

Nigerian Yam Pottage (Asaro)

Nigerian ASARO ( YAM porridge/Pottage)

Ingredient

• Yam 1/2 medium size tuber* (peeled, washed and cubed)
• Palm oil (3 Tablespoons)
• Maggi (2 cubes)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Dried fish (washed)  (approximately 1 cup)
• Blended crayfish (1 Tablespoon)
• Dried pepper (1 teaspoon)

Direction

• Add yam cubes to a pot, pour in enough water to just cover the yam.  Cover and cook on medium heat for 15-20min
•  Uncover the pot, with a wooden spoon break the yam down by gently mashing
• Add in the left over ingredients. combine
• Reduce heat to minimum, cover the pot and simmer for another 10-12 minutes

EnJoY!!

How to Prepare Plantain and Sweet Potato Pottage (Porridge)

 

                                                Sweet Potato & Plantain Pottage

Ingredients

• ¼ cup palm oil
• 1 medium onion (sliced)
• 2 large green plantains
• 1 medium sweet potato
• 2/3 cup Stew Base
• 2 tablespoons ground crayfish
• 1-2 cups shredded smoked fish
• 1 cup prawns (optional)
• Salt – to taste
• Maggi – 2 cubes (optional)
• Handful fresh greens (ugu, spinach etc) thinly sliced.

Directions

1. Place a pot on medium high heat, add in the oil. Add in onions and fry until onion is wilted.

1. Add in stew base, crayfish, salt, maggi and smoked fish. Simmer covered on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes
2. 
3. While the sauce is simmering, Peel and cube the sweet potatoes. Set aside. Peel and cube one of the plantains. Peel and grate the other plantain using a grater or food processor
4. 
5. Add the cubed potatoes and plantain into the sauce. Stir to combine. Add in enough water to just cover the mixture. Cover and simmer on low-medium heat for 35-40 minutes or until the plantain is cooked through
6. 
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8. Remove the pottage from heat, stir in green vegetable if using
9. 
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11. Serve and enjoy

How to Prepare Yam and Plantain Porridge (Pottage)

Plantain and Yam Porridge / Pottage

How to cook Nigerian Asaro (Yam Porridge / pottage)

Ingredients:

• 10 medium cubes  African Yam 
• 2 1/2  semi ripe plantain
• ¼ cup onion (Chopped)
• ¼ large onion + 2 red bell pepper (tatashe) + 1 tomato (blended)
• ¼ cup palm oil
• 2 cubes maggi
• Salt (to taste)
• 1 cup  shredded Smoked fish (any kind) – cleaned
• 1 tablespoon blended crayfish
• ¼ cup chopped fresh vegetable (optional)

Directions:

1. Cut the plantain lengthwise, remove the core. Chop into chunks, set aside.
2. Add the palm oil to a large pot, set on medium heat. Cover and bleach for 2-3 minutes, add in the chopped onion, saute for 2 minutes, add in the blended pepper. Cover and leave to cook for 12 minutes (stir occasionally)
3. Add in the maggi, salt, smoked fish, crayfish, plantain, yam and 2.5 cups of water. Combine. Cover and leave to cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes (until the yam is cooked through- add more water during this process if needed)
4. Stir, taste and adjust for seasoning. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes
5. Add in the chopped vegetables, stir and remove from heat

 (Enjoy)

How to Prepare Cocoyam Porridge / Pottage

Ingredients:

• 1 medium size cocoyam tuber (peeled and cubed) *should make about 4 cups cubed*
• 1 cup blended pepper mix
• 1 small onion (finely chopped)
• 1 clove garlic (chopped)
• 3 Tablespoon palm oil
• 1 Tablespoon blended crayfish
• 1 cube maggi
• Salt to taste
• Handful chopped ugu or spinach (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat up the oil in a large pot; add in the chopped onion and garlic. Stir continuously until the onion is cooked
2. Add in the blended peppers, 1.5 cups water, maggi, salt, blended crayfish.
3. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes
4. Add in the cocoyam, Simmer on below medium heat for 25-30mins. Combine.
5. Taste and adjust for seasoning
6. Add in the chopped vegetables if using, combine.
7. Remove from heat and serve with your choice of protein

Enjoy!

How to cook Ora (Oha) Soup

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              Ora (Oha) soup is native to the South Eastern Nigeria. It is a very traditional soup similar to the bitterleaf soup but cooked with Ora leaves. Ora (Oha) Soup is special because the tender ora leaves used in preparing this soup recipe are seasonal unlike their bitterleaf counterpart which can be found all year round.

Though it is only the vegetable that distinguishes the Ora Soup and the Bitterleaf Soup, they taste so different that it is hard to believe the difference just one ingredient can make in a recipe.

Ingredients for Ora (Oha) Soup

• Vegetable: Ora leaves
• 8 small corms cocoyam
• 3 cooking spoons Red Palm Oil
• Assorted Beef: Includes best cut, shaki (cow tripe)
• Assorted Fish: Dry Fish and Stock Fish
• Chilli pepper, salt and crayfish (to taste)
• 2 Stock cubes
• 1 teaspoon Ogiri Igbo

Notes on the ingredients:

1. Ora (Oha) is a unique vegetable hence does not have a good alternative.
2. If you cannot buy cocoyam corms where you live, you can use cocoyam flour. An alternative to cocoyam flour is potato flour. See how to prepare the cocoyam flour or potato flour before adding it to your soup at: How to Cook Nigerian Soups with Flour as Thickener.
3. Ogiri Igbo is optional, it gives Ora Soup a traditional taste.

Before you cook the Nigerian Ora Soup

1. Grind the crayfish and pepper and set aside.
2. Wash and boil the cocoyam corms till soft. Remove the peels and use a mortar and pestle to pound the corms to a smooth paste.
3. Using your fingers, cut the Ora (Oha) leaves into tiny pieces. This technique is to prevent the vegetable from becoming darker in colour. This happens when you cut the ora leaves with a knife.

Cooking Directions

1. Boil the shaki (cow tripe), stock fish and dry fish in 1 litre of water till they are well done. First sign of a done shaki is that the cuts will start curling on itself.
2. Wash the beef and add to the pot of shaki etc. and continue cooking. When the meat is done, add 2 stock cubes and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the pepper, ogiri Igbo and ground crayfish and cook for 10 minutes. Add the cocoyam paste in small lumps and then the palm oil.
4. Cover the pot and leave to cook on high heat till all the cocoyam lumps have dissolved. You can add more water if you feel that the soup is too thick.
5. Add the ora (oha) leaves and leave to cook for about 5 minutes.
6. Add salt to taste, stir and the soup is ready!

Serve with Garri (Eba), Semolina Fufu, Amala, Cassava Fufu or Pounded Yam.

How to Make an African Salad

African salad is a delicious Nigerian meal that is native to the ndi Igbo (people of Igbo), here is all you need to know about this Nigerian Delicious Dessert and even all the ingredients used in preparing it.

This meal is very popular in the eastern part of Nigeria; it is one of the most Popular Igbo Recipe, I don’t visit this part of the country and come back without having a taste of this Nigerian delicacy.
Abacha – as the Igbos love to call it –  is one of the most popular evening desserts in the eastern villages, it serves best as kola to visitors, as a matter of fact, there are villages in the eastern part of Nigeria that only offer ugba or abacha to visitors and even visitors have come to love and desire the delicious delicacy.
The fresh Abacha (African salad is a by-product of cassava), there are a lot of processes involved with obtaining the fresh abacha that is used in preparing the African salad that we all know .
Most rural dwellers are very familiar with the whole process involved.
The first thing to do (if you live in the village or own a farm) is to obtain cassava tubers, wash thoroughly and boil along with water for twenty to thirty minutes then pill to remove the brown outer layer, and cut to tiny bits.
The sliced cassava is then soaked in water for 18 hours or more. The last thing to do would be to wash thoroughly with clean water then sun-dry and store in an airtight seal. Dried cassava chips can last more than a year if stored in an air tight dry environment.
But if you live in developed cities you probably wouldn’t need to go through this cumbersome and tiresome procedure, just buy every one of the ingredients in the market
Here are all the ingredients that are needed for preparing Abacha (African salad) whether you are within or outside Nigeria. Some of them are extremely required while few of them are optional

Ingredients for African Salads

6 to 8 cups of Abacha (African Salad) {image below}
Ehu 3 seeds (optional)
1 to 2 cups Of Ugba (Ukpaka)
half cup of crayfish
1 to 2 cubes of maggi or knorr
About 10cl of palm oil
Edible powdered potash(1 teaspoon)
salt and pepper to taste.
3 to 5 garden eggs (optional)
Utazi leaves (optional)
Garden egg leaves (optional) (image in the tray below)
Meat/dry fish or stock fish.(optional)
I told you that most Nigerian foods are served with either fish or meat, Even the African Salad (Abacha) is also served with either fish, meat or even stock fish (okporoko), although there is none of that in the image below.
Here is how to prepare African salad.