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The Global Kitchen
Beans are important source of protein in the African diet. There are
five or six main varieties of beans common in West Africa. In
Nigeria, well known and widely used beans include Akidi, Odudu, Okpa
and the highly popular cowpeas or blackeye peas. Each type of beans
may be prepared in a different way. Our new recipe is for moi moi or
steamed bean cakes made from blackeyed peas.
steamed Bean Cakes With Liver (Moi Moi)
Ingredients
(1) Beans (Black-eyed Peas) - 2 Cups (serving for three adults)
(2) Onion - 1 large bulb
(3) Fresh chili Peppers - 4-5 (about 2 teaspoons ground)
(4) Vegetable oil - 1/2 Cup
(5) Crayfish - 1/4 Cup
(6) Beef Liver - 1/2 lb
(7) Salt - to taste
(8) Black Pepper - 1 teaspoon
(9) Aluminum Foil
Preparation
- Soak beans in water at room temperature for about 30 minutes to one
hour. The beans will soften making it easy to remove the skin.
- Rub the softened beans between your palms so the skin will come off.
- Add more water so the removed skins will float.
- Skim off the floating skins.
- Repeat the rubbing and skimming until all the beans have been
de-skinned.
- Peel and chop onion into large chunks and add to the de-skinned beans.
Also add the crayfish and pepper (For people who don't like hot peppers,
black pepper or mustard can be substituted).
- In a blender, puree the beans, pepper, crayfish and onion mixture until
the texture is smooth (no grainy feel). While blending add water, a little at a time, as needed to aid the puree process. Do not make it too watery. The ground mixture should be able to
pour without running.
- Wash the beef liver (you may use other kinds of liver as available) and
cut into inch thick cubes. Place the cubed liver in a cooking pot, add a
small amount of water; just enough to cover the bottom; add salt and
black pepper to taste and cook until well done.
- If any water is still in the cooked liver, drain it away and stir in the
cooked liver to the ground beans. Add vegetable oil and stir some more.
Add salt to taste.
- Cut aluminum foil into one foot squares. Fold each square (shiny side
in) into a water-tight envelope.
- Using a measuring cup or large cooking spoon, ladle 11/2 cups or 4
spoons of the ground beans mixture into each envelope and seal the top
by folding over.
- Layer the bottom of a large cooking pot fresh cut branches from an
edible tree. Each twig should be no larger than half an inch in
thickness. Add a small amount of water into the pot just below the level
of the twigs.
- Carefully place the aluminum envelopes with the pureed bean mixture into
the pot on top of the twigs. Layer the bean envelopes one atop another.
- Place the cooking pot on the stove at high heat and cover tightly. Do
not allow the pot to go completely dry. Check every three to five
minutes and add water as needed. Each time cover tightly again. Cook for
45 to 60 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Moi Moi can be eaten with a hot cereal such as quaker oats. It is good
warm, but can been most enjoyed chilled. Have it with a hot cup of tea
or coffee.
Bon appetit!
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