Monthly Archives: September 2011

Moyin-moyin or moin-moin recipes – bean cakes

Posted on by
2

Notes: This is a very popular and nutritious meal.  It is also uniquely Nigerian recipe in the way that it is made, though other cultures have variations of it.

 

Ingredients:

Beans                                                                                             1  cup

Onions                                                                                          1 small size

Red Bell Pepper, tatashe,                                                         1 large

Habanero pepper, rodo                                                            1

Ground-nut (or vegetable) oil                                                 ½ cooking spoon

Boullion cube                                                                              1

Salt, to taste

Hard-boiled egg or corned-beef                                            optional

Directions:

  1. The first step is to prepare the container that the moin-moin will be cooked in. You can either use – small plastic containers, small cans, small nylon bags or tin foils.  Traditionally, banana leaves are used to wrap the beans but this involved relative skill and expertise. See using tin cans or plastic containers, make sure it is properly cleaned and lightly greased.  You will need about 4- 5 containers.
  2. If using foil, tear off about 1 foot of the foil and fold in half.  One of the edges is closed and fine. For two of the other edges, roll them a few times over to make sure they will take the weight of the mixture (at least an inch-worth of rolling). When you are done, the foil will look like rectangles with only one edge open.
  3. Next step is to de-skin the beans.  Soak the beans in a large bowl.  It is easier to de-skin if you soak overnight or for about an hour in warm water.
  4. Peel the skin by rubbing the beans between your hands and the skin should float to the top of the container.  Pour off the water to remove the beans and keep doing this until you have most of the skin off the beans.
  5. Grind the beans, bell pepper, onion, and habanero into a smooth, finely ground, mostly liquid paste. Make sure to use as little liquid as possible when blending if not the moyin-moyin will not form well.

 

Nigerian Beans Recipe -Ewa Recipe

Posted on by
1

Notes: There are different varieties of beans and cowpeas in the market.  Make sure to get the brown beans or cowpeas.  It can be found in most grocery stores but you can buy from an African store or local market in Nigeria to be sure you are getting the best variety.  If you are buying the bean in a Lagos market, be sure to ask for Ewa O’loyin (or honey beans).

Ingredients:

Beans                                                                                             1  cup

Water                                                                                             3 cups

Onions                                                                                          1 small size

Red Bell Pepper, tatashe,                                                         1 large

Habanero pepper, rodo                                                            1

Palm-oil                                                                                       1 cooking spoon

Salt, to taste

Dried fish (shawa), smoked fish etc                       optional

 

Directions:

  1. Remove any dirt, stones, shell, or other impurities from the beans.
  2. Rinse twice and place in a medium-sized saucepan
  3. Add water and allow to boil
  4. Clean and blend the bell pepper, onion and habanero pepper.  Add to the boiling beans.
  5. You can add additional sliced onions to the cooking beans.  Add salt
  6. Reduce the heat and allow to cook for about 30 minutes or until the beans are soft.
  7. Add the palm-oil and fish.  Allow to cook for an additional 10 minutes.  Serve hot.
  8. This meal can be eaten by itself or with rice, bread or any other accompaniment.

 

Nigerian Fried Rice Recipe

Posted on by
2

Notes: The key difference between this version of fried rice and popular chinese or Asian fried rice is the absence of soy sauce, which traditionally is not a common ingredient in Nigerian cooking but becoming more popular.

 

Ingredients:

Rice                                                                                                 1 cup

Chicken or beef broth                                                                1 cup

Water                                                                                             1 cup

Onions, diced                                                                              1 small

Carrots, diced                                                                              2 sticks

Peas,                                                                                              ¼ cup

Green Pepper, diced                                                                  ¼ cup

Liver, diced                                                                                  ¼ cup

Shrimp,                                                                                        ¼ cup

Salt, to taste

Boullion cubes                                                                            2 cubes

Vegetable oil                                                                               1 cooking spoon

 

Directions:

  1. Rinse the shrimps well and boil with little later till it turns pink.  This should take no more 5 minutes. Do not over-cook. Set aside. This step is not necessary if you are using pre-cooked shrimps from the grocery store.
  2. Rinse the rice at least twice and place in a medium-sized saucepan
  3. Add the chicken broth and bring to boil.  Add the additional water little by little until the rice is cooked but still firm.  Be careful not to add too much water because each grain should separate easily and not stick to the bottom of the pot.
  4. Add half the vegetable oil to a frying pan or wok.  Add half of the onions and fry lightly.
  5. Add half of the carrots, diced green peppers, peas, liver and shrimp and sauté for 5 minutes.  Stirring constantly.
  6. Add half of the rice, 1 boullion cube and salt to taste.  Mix well and place in a serving dish.
  7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 with the remaining half of all the ingredients.  Garnish with spring onions and serve hot.