This flavorful savory pudding made with skinless black-eyed peas is a classic comfort food with Nigerian roots. It's soft yet hearty and filling and boasts just the right amount of heat. Get ready to enjoy some international fare that is beyond delicious!
Place the black-eyed peas in a bowl, add water to cover, and soak them for about 15 minutes.
Drain and transfer them to a blender or food processor. Pulse about 5 times for about 3 seconds each to break the peas. Do this in small batches.
Put the black-eyed peas in water and rub them between your hands to remove the skins. Most of the skins will float to the top so you can pour them off through a colander. You might have to do this several times.
Most of the skins will come off. Sort through the remaining beans to remove all the skin. You can do this ahead and freeze them to save time later.
In a large bowl, soak the beans in warm water for at least two hours but up to 24 hours. Drain and proceed.
Peeled Black Eyed Peas
Soak beans in water for at least an hour or overnight to make blending easier. Drain and proceed.
Put soaked black-eyed peas, onion, bell peppers, and habanero peppers with a cup or more of stock or water in a food processor or blender and puree until completely smooth. You may have to do this in two to three batches.
Pour the pea mixture into a large bowl, add oil, and mix well.
In a small bowl, mix salt, bouillon powder, pepper, and paprika with some water. Add this spice mix and your crayfish to the ground beans and mix well.
Make sure you have used up all the water and adjust the seasoning to taste.
Lightly oil (or use a vegetable oil spray) six (6-ounce) ramekins (baking cups) and arrange them in a large baking dish. A small baking dish also works instead of ramekins.
Pour mixture into ramekins about ¾ full. Add a boiled egg and or smoked fish. Proceed with either the stovetop or baking method.
Stovetop Method
Pour about half an inch of water into a large saucepan. Then, put something like a steamer rack to raise the moi moi off the bottom of the pot.
Gently place the ramekins in the steamer, cover them with a lid, and let them steam for about 45 minutes to an hour. Add a little water as needed to prevent it from drying out completely.
Baking Method
Before blending the beans, preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃). Adjust oven rack to center position.
Gently place ramekins in the large baking pan. Carefully pour hot water into the baking pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 1-1½ hours.
Let your moi moi cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
With Banana Leaves (video instructions)
Pour about half an inch of water into the bottom of a Dutch oven or large pot. Then, put a steamer or a few banana leaves to raise the moi moi off the bottom of the pot.
Using small to medium-sized banana leaves, double up the leaves and fold them to make a funnel. Gentle fold back to the bottom of your funnel.
Pour about ½ cup of moi moi batter into the leaf funnel and add the boiled egg and/or smoked fish. Then, gently twist the top of the funnel and fold it back firmly. Make sure to seal it well so there's no leakage.
Place the moi moi on the steamer or banana leaves and close the pot.
Let it steam for about 45 minutes to an hour, adding a little water every 5-10 minutes to prevent it from burning or drying out.
Let your moi moi cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Some ethnic stores sell pre-peeled black-eyed peas! Peeled beans are an excellent option to save a few minutes. You can usually find them in the freezer section.
The best part about this dish is the utterly smooth texture. My advice? Puree the ingredients a few more minutes than you might think necessary. Grainy moi moi isn't nearly as tasty.
Check the water level frequently when cooking! If the water runs dry in your pot or baking sheet, you'll likely end up with burnt/dry pudding.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.