Moi moi
Mọ́ínmọ́ín
Nigerian steamed bean pudding of skinned black-eyed beans blended with peppers, onion and crayfish, set in cups.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: Mọ́ínmọ́ín.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Rest
- 3 hr
- Total
- 4 hr 30 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- Medium heat
- Cost
- Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Moi moi is a savoury steamed pudding made from black-eyed beans that have been soaked, rubbed of their skins and blended smooth with red pepper, scotch bonnet and onion. Oil, ground crayfish and stock cube season the batter; it is whisked until light, poured into ramekins or foil cups, and steamed until firm. A slice of boiled egg in the middle is the usual surprise. This version uses vegetable oil for a pale orange pudding; palm oil gives the deeper colour some families prefer. It is a side for jollof, a breakfast with pap, or lunch on its own.
What you'll need
10 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
- Black-eyed beans, dried, soaked and skinned400 g
- Red pepper, deseeded, chopped2
- Onion, chopped1 large
Choose one
Neutral oil100 ml- Ground crayfish30 ml
- Bouillon cubes, crumbled2
- Salt4.9 ml
- Water, warm, more as needed300 ml
- Egg, hard-boiled, sliced (optional)2
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Soak the beans in plenty of water for 2 to 3 hours. Rub handfuls between your palms under water so the skins loosen and float off; pour the skins away and repeat until the beans are cream-white. Drain.
30 min
Tip: A quick pulse in a blender with water, then rinsing, loosens stubborn skins faster than rubbing.
Step 2
Blend the beans with the red pepper, scotch bonnet, onion and about 300 ml of warm water until completely smooth. Work in batches if your blender is small. The batter should fall from a spoon like thick cream.
10 min
Watch: Grainy batter makes grainy moi moi. Blend longer than feels necessary.
Step 3
Pour into a bowl. Whisk in the oil, crayfish, crumbled stock cubes and salt. Beat for a minute to get air in. Taste; it should be slightly over-seasoned raw.
5 min
Step 4
Oil eight ramekins or foil cups. Half-fill with batter, lay in a slice of egg, then top up to 1 cm below the rim. Cover each tightly with foil.
10 min
Step 5
Stand the cups in a wide pot on a trivet or folded cloth. Pour in boiling water to a third of the way up the cups. Cover and steam on a steady simmer for 45 to 50 minutes, topping up the water if needed.
50 min
Step 6
A knife in the centre should come out clean and the top should be set and springy. Rest 10 minutes, then turn out or eat from the cup.
10 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 316 kcal
- Protein
- 15.7 g
- Carbs
- 34.6 g
- Fat
- 13.6 g
- Saturated fat
- 1.7 g
- Fibre
- 6.6 g
- Sugar
- 6.1 g
- Sodium
- 383 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Shellfish
- Eggs
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 13 November.
Substitutions
Ramekins → Small freezer bags, knotted
This is the Lagos method. Drop the bags straight into simmering water.
Tips
- Peeled beans are sold frozen or as bean flour in Nigerian shops. Bean flour works: whisk 300 g with 600 ml water and skip step 1.
- Add a tin of flaked sardines or corned beef to the batter for the richer party version.
- Moi moi freezes well. Reheat from frozen in the steamer for 20 minutes.
History & culture
No Nigerian party spread is complete without moi moi beside the jollof and fried rice. It is Sunday-morning breakfast with akamu (pap) and Saturday lunch. Traditionally wrapped in ewe eran leaves, which give a faint herbal flavour; tins, ramekins and plastic bags all took over in cities.
Steamed bean puddings are Yoruba in origin and spread with Yoruba cooks across the country and the diaspora. The bean is the indigenous cowpea, grown in the Sahel for thousands of years. Crayfish and stock cubes are twentieth-century seasonings; the dish predates them.
Regional variation — Steamed in ramekins rather than leaves, and made with vegetable oil. Palm oil, corned beef, fish flakes and eggs are all traditional additions depending on the household.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Moi moi take?
4 hr 30 min all in — 40 min prep, 50 min cook, 3 hr rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 8 pieces. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Medium.
How spicy is it?
Medium heat.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Shellfish, Eggs. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Nut-free.
8 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Blender, Stockpot, Mixing bowl.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp.
What can I use instead?
Ramekins → Small freezer bags, knotted. This is the Lagos method. Drop the bags straight into simmering water.
What should I watch for?
Grainy batter makes grainy moi moi. Blend longer than feels necessary.
Any tips from this recipe?
Peeled beans are sold frozen or as bean flour in Nigerian shops. Bean flour works: whisk 300 g with 600 ml water and skip step 1. Add a tin of flaked sardines or corned beef to the batter for the richer party version. Moi moi freezes well. Reheat from frozen in the steamer for 20 minutes.
Can I prepare this ahead?
Moi moi freezes well. Reheat from frozen in the steamer for 20 minutes.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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