Name: Moi Moi
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 95 min
Yield: 6 wraps
Cuisine: Nigeria, West Africa
Ingredients: 2 cups peeled black-eyed peas, soaked and skins removed; 1 large red bell pepper, chopped; 2 whole scotch bonnet peppers, use less for mild heat; 1 medium onion, chopped; ½ cup vegetable oil; 1 tsp ground nutmeg; 2 tsp ground crayfish; 2 cups warm water, plus more as needed for blending; salt, to taste; 3 whole hard-boiled eggs, quartered

Moi Moi

A steamed Nigerian bean pudding made from peeled black-eyed peas blended with peppers, onion, oil, and seasoning, then cooked until set and tender.

Country

Nigeria

Region

West Africa

Time

95 min

Serves

Level

medium

What to know before you cook

Moi Moi is one of Nigeria's classic bean dishes, often served beside jollof rice, fried rice, pap, garri, or bread. A good batter is smooth, lightly peppery, and soft after steaming, with optional egg, fish, corned beef, or crayfish folded in when the table calls for it.

What the dish tastes like

A steamed Nigerian bean pudding made from peeled black-eyed peas blended with peppers, onion, oil, and seasoning, then cooked until set and tender.

When to cook it

Best for Best for Sunday rice plates, parties, breakfast spreads, and make-ahead meal prep., with a medium cooking level and about 95 minutes total.

What to serve alongside it

Jollof rice, fried rice, pap, custard, garri, or soft bread.

Regional lane

South-West and Yoruba table. Amala, ewedu, gbegiri, pepper stews, leafy soups, beans, and market foods from the Yoruba cooking orbit.

Chef watch-outs

Adding too much liquid after the rice goes in.
Stirring too often once the grains should be steaming.
Rushing the rest or fermentation period.

How you know it is ready

The grains should be tender but still distinct, with steam carrying the seasoning upward.
The bread or batter should smell pleasantly fermented, toasted, or nutty rather than floury.
The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.

Pantry lane

palm oil, crayfish, iru or ogiri, scotch bonnet, melon seed

Soak and peel the beans

Soak the beans until the skins loosen, then rub and rinse until most skins are removed. Drain well.

Pre-peeled beans save time, but whole beans give the most control over texture.

Loosen skins 15:00

Blend the batter

Blend peeled beans with bell pepper, scotch bonnet, onion, oil, nutmeg, crayfish if using, and enough warm water to make a smooth pourable batter.

The batter should pour like thick pancake batter, not sit like paste.

Season and fill

Season with salt, fold in optional egg pieces, and pour into leaves, ramekins, tins, or foil cups. Leave headroom for expansion.

Steam until set

Set the cups in a pot with a little simmering water, cover tightly, and steam until the pudding is firm through the center.

Top up hot water around the cups if the pot dries, but keep water out of the batter.

Steam 60:00

Rest and serve

Let the Moi Moi rest briefly so it firms up, then serve warm or at room temperature.

Rest 05:00

Moi Moi

What to know before you cook

Build the table around Moi Moi

Step-by-step method

Moi Moi

What to know before you cook

Build the table around Moi Moi

Step-by-step method

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