Moin moin facts for kids
Alternative names | Moyi-Moyi, Mai-Mai, Olele |
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Type | Pudding |
Place of origin | Yoruba (Nigeria,Benin and Togo) |
Region or state | Western |
Main ingredients | Black-eyed beans or honey beans, onions, fresh ground peppers,oil |
Moin-moin or moimoi is a steamed or boiled bean pudding made from a mixture of washed and peeled black-eyed beans, often combined with onions and fresh ground red peppers (usually a combination of bell peppers, chili or Scotch bonnet). Its a protein-rich food that is a staple in Nigeria. This dish originated from the Yoruba tribe.
It is commonly known as "alele" or "olele" as its other name in Yoruba, and commonly known as this in Sierra Leone and Ghana. It is usually taken with Ogi /Akamu/koko. Tubaani (also spelled tubani) is a similar dish found in Northern Ghana. It can also be taken with garri, pap, or custard. It is now usually used as a side dish in Nigerian parties, served alongside Jollof rice and other dishes.
Ingredients
Black-eyed or brown beans, tatashe (red bell pepper), scotch bonnet pepper( atarodo/fresh pepper), cooking Vegetable Oil, concentrated tomato puree (for extra colour, but optional), Tablespoonful ground Crayfish, large Onions bulbs, Eggs, or boiled minced meat or Bone Marrow or Corned beef or deboned smoked fish OR deboned boiled fish, bouillon/stock cubes for Seasoning, Water (as needed), Salt to taste.
Preparation
Moin-Moin is prepared by first soaking the beans in cold water until they are soft enough to remove the fine outer covering or peel. Then they are ground or blended (using a blender) until a fine paste is achieved. Salt, bouillon cube, dried crayfish, vegetable oil (or any edible oil such as palm oil) and other seasonings are added to taste. Some add sardines, corned beef, sliced boiled eggs, or a combination of these and other 'garnishes' to liven up Moin-Moin. Such is referred to as having 'x' number of lives, 'x' representing the number of garnishes added. The most touted is Moin-Moin elemi meje, which translates to Moin-Moin with seven lives.
Moin-Moin usually comes in a slanted pyramid shape, cylindrical shape, cone shape and any targeted shape owing to the mold it is poured into prior to cooking. The pyramid shape comes from the traditional broad "ewe eran" (Thaumatococcus daniellii) or banana leaves fashioned into a cone in one's palm, then the seasoned and garnished liquid is poured into the leaves, which is then folded. The cylindrical shapes come from empty cans of milk or tomato sauce used in preparation of other dishes. After packaging, it is placed in a large pot about a tenth filled with water. The water is the source of steam that cooks the Moin-Moin. Moin-Moin is eaten alone or with bread as a snack, with rice as a meal or with ogi for breakfast or supper. It can also be taken with garri in the afternoon. Moin-Moin process as been made easy by blending beans to flour also called Beans flour, this flour process as reduced stress of peeling beans and washing multiple times,all that's need is to mix the bean flour with water, add seasonings and salt to taste, fish, stocks, pawns, etc.
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Moin moin seller in Nigeria
See also
In Spanish: Moin moin (comida) para niños