Truth be told, the first time I tried moimoi with unpeeled beans I was still in primary school, my aunty had visited us and made some. I will say it was extremely obvious the beans wasn’t peeled as the texture of the moimoi was very coarse, however the resulting moimoi was extremely more filling than usual
Fast forward to two years ago when I made some moi moi using quinoa , I toyed with the idea of perfecting my aunty’s recipe but I did not. In 2014, I finally did try it but I wasn’t very thrilled with the end result. I made a critical mistake, I used black eyed beans which left dark spots in the moi moi. Although extremely delicious and very filling, I knew I could do better.
This attempt was perfect. I took lessons from my aunty’s creation and leveraged my mistake from last year. I promise you, no one will know you did not peel the skin off the beans. You will also find this moimoi to be extremely filling, this is because we didn’t get rid of the fiber by taking off the skin.
Ingredients:
- Brown beans (oloyin or drum) – 2 cups
- Medium onion – 1/2 
 (chopped)
- Red bell pepper (Tatashe) – 2 (chopped)
- Scotch bonnet pepper (ata Rodo) – 1
- Eggs – 4 (boil, peel & slice 2)
- Ground crayfish – 1 Tablespoon
- Palm oil- 2-3 Tablespoons
- Bouillon cube (Maggi) – 1-2 cubes
- Salt (to taste)
Other : Aluminum loaf or muffin pan for steaming, aluminum foil
Directions
- Cover beans with generous amount of water and leave to soak overnight
- Combine beans, peppers, onion and 1.5 cups water in a blender, blend to a smooth
 batter. Leave batter to rest for about 5 minutes and blend again
- Pour batter into a large bowl, crack in raw eggs. Set aside
- Dissolve salt, palm oil, crayfish and maggi in 2 tablespoons of boiling water, set aside to cool. once cooled, add to batter
- With a turning pin (omo orogun) or electric mixer- Mix the batter thoroughly (this is to incorporate air into the batter and fluff the resulting moi moi). mix for about 5 -10 minutes . Taste and adjust for seasoning
- Add 4 cups water to a large pot, set on high heat and bring to a boil
- Oil the pan (cupcake pan in this case). portion moi moi batter into pan and top with slices of boiled eggs . Cover the loaf pan tightly with some aluminum foil
- Place the batter filled loaf pan in the pot of water ( it shouldn’t be covered in water), place a tight lid over the pot and reduce the heat to medium. Steam for 45-60 minutes (alternatively, steam for 45 minutes in an electric steamer)
Enjoy moi moi with a side of garri, pap, custard or bread
Recipe note:
- If you do not have time to soak beans overnight. Cover with very hot water for 20 minutes.
- When making moimoi, the batter consistency is critical to the density of the end result. Your batter should not be too thick, it should be very close to the batter pictured. If you find that your batter is thicker, add water and mix it some more.
- Make use of Red beans, Black eyed beans will leave black spots in the moi moi
- It is important that you rest the batter after the first blend, this enables the beans to absorb more water and fluff up during cooking
- I highly recommend that you soak the beans overnight
- feel free to play up the profile of the moi moi by adding in other spices. Ginger, thyme and chipotle pepper all work great in moi moi
- When steaming in a pot, the wider the better. you never want the steaming utensil covered in water. If the water starts to dry up during steaming, simply add in more water
- You can choose to wrap the moi moi in leaves (Ewe Eran) or banana leaves if you have some
Just made my first ever moimoi. Thank youuuu
What do you think would be a suitable replacement for the raw eggs in the mix? I’ve done some research but can’t figure out the best thing without ruining the dish. Thanks.
I know that whatever you’re thinking about someone somewhere must have tried it. I have been on proteinous diet for some time now due to health challenge and since last week i have been thinking, can’t moi moi be made without removing the skin and i decided to browse it today if i can see someone that had tried it and boom here i am today that means my thought was right. It is actually a waste peeling the beans. Thank you for confirming my thought and i will certainly do it tomorrow because i’m soaking my beans tonight.
Trying this out tomorrow. Thank you
If i am going to blend at the commercial blenders, do I still need to soak the beans overnight? Will soaking it for 1 hour do?
When you make the Moin Moin in muffin cups and bake do you still have to wrap the muffin pan with foil
Have been making moimoi and akara with unpeeled beans for ten years now, I just soak for some hours or just an hour with very warm water, then spice up with red bonnet peppers, onions, crayfish and few pieces s of turmeric. This comes out very natural and good.
Wow!!! I just came across your blog for the first time. I’m subscribing ASAP!!!!
I have avoided preparing moimoi for a long time because of the stress of peeling the beans. I sm going to soak beans right away and blend tomorrow for my moimoi.
Thanks for this post.
You are welcome! let me know how it turns out.
Thanks for this. please can I bake in the oven rather than steaming?
yes you can
Hi Ronke!
I was looking at food recipes on YouTube and through an internet rabbit trail I found your website and this recipe. I am not familiar with Nigerian food, and am excited to find your recipes. I am not at all familiar with moi moi and from the ingredients it looks like it will taste amazing!
I have one question: I have all of the ingredients in the recipe easily at hand in my pantry and fridge pretty much all of the time, except the crayfish. Do you have any recommendations for a possible substitute? What about shrimp? That is always readily available here on the Chesapeake Bay (thought it probably wouldn’t be TOO hard to find the crawdads–I just don’t think they are available without having to drive cross county).
Thanks for the great site and shares. I am excited to try this with coconut fried rice and maybe a Nigerian Stew.
Hi Kathie!! I am excited for you to try some recipes. You can definitely use dried shrimps powder as a substitute.
I asked for beans from nigeria and the person brought white beans. Apparently that’s what they eat in Abuja. Can I use white beans instead of brown beans?
do you mean black eyed beans?
God bless you, God bless you, God bless you. Bestest trick ever….. !!! can this trick be used for Akara???
absolutely. we have the recipe for that as well.
This has to be the best trick i have heard this month!
God bless you biiiiiggggg!
I actually like the spots left by the black eyed beans it makes it fun looking and not just plain. Taste is everything!
:)
No more peeling of beans? Yesssss! I am game!
Hahaha.. let me know how it goes.
FOINALLY tried this today. I didn’t put enough salt, but apart from that, TWO THUMBS UP!!!
yeiiii!! thanks for the feedback.
CAME OUT PERFECT. I LOVE HOW YOU ADD MEASUREMENTS. YOUR BLOG SITE IS THE ISH(BEST)
Just finished making this and it was awesome. The hubby loved it too. Absolutely no difference with the peeled beans. No more beans washing for me whoop woop
yeiiii!! Thanks for the feedback.
Hi!!! So when I make bean, I put a little bit of salt because it goes a long way in the taste. Please can u tell me if that applies to making the moi-moi?Thanks in advances do please keep the recipes coming!
Hello Amaka, you do not have to add salt to the raw beans. Add salt to the batter with all other seasonings.
Hello;
Can any of these be made from canned beans such as navy, garbanzo, Azuki or BE Peas? They look so good, but I have limited energy and resources. Thank you for all these LOVELY recipes and techniques!
I honestly haven’t tried canned beans. My guess would be no though, since canned beans are already precooked.
Am doing this now I have soaked the beans and will blend after 6hours hope it comes out nice…
It will! keep us posted.
Am about to try this but am soaking it for 6hours hope it comes out nice…
Tried this in the morning and my mother in law couldn’t tell the beans wasn’t peeled
Yeiiii!! thanks for the feedback.
I made this last night and let’s just say I ‘destroyed’ my sister’s diet (hehehehe) she hadn’t eaten anything in five days and I was too glad to see your receipe break her resolve. She couldn’t believe I didn’t peel the beans. My husband gave raving reviews too. I am not a kitchen person so it’s a big deal for me. well done 9jafoodie.
Jus stumbled on this blog nd it feel like all my moimoi peeling nightmares are over, wud b trying it this weekend, tnks bae
yes! do let us know how it turns out.
I am a food lover and do a lot of food research, and i stumbbled on dis blog; i av to say, am so thrilled wit wat am seeing. Never tot i culd make moi moi with unpeeled beans. God bless u
Do let us know how it turns out
Hello 9jafoodie,just joined and am living all the way. Pls where can I get the cup cake pan in Nigeria pls
Thanks Damilola. check wherever you buy baking goods like flour etc.
What can I say? You are a life saver. I love moi moi but the washing always made me stay away. I tried this but not with a lot of beans just in case I didn’t like them. Oh my, it was a hit. My hubby and I finished it in one sitting. I am making another batch tomorrow. Thank you so much.
yeiiiii!!! thanks for the feedback
waohhhhhh, i will experiment with this. Great job you are doing Mrs. Edoho. God bless you
Do let us know how it turns out
My moi moi tasted good, I just wish the texture was a little softer/fluffier…any tips for that?
My moimoi didn’t solidify. What did I do wrong and how can I prevent this from repeating itself?
One of two possible issues. Either the beans wasn’t well blended (You want your batter to be extremely smooth, no grit at all) or you added in two much water. I hope that helps for next time
thanks for this!
Can I use some other kind of brown beans, like Pinto beans. because i cant readily get oloyin beans
Yes!I have tried chickpeas in the past. The texture is a bit different though.
Yes! This is the recipe for lazy cooks like me. I have some red beans I will try this with and a wok. I must admit I never thought of using cupcake tins before because all I ever saw my mother use was leaves and you can’t get those abroad. Thanks!
You are most welcome. Us lazy cooks have to stick together.
Hey sis, I love the sound and look of this. I will definitely try it out. But pls i av some rubber cups that I normally use for moimoi. Can I still use them with this method? Or can I use the popular “santana nylon”? Lol. Thanks
you can use any container you like
I just made this moimoi, it’s the bomb. I hope I can leave some for hubby. My daughter is munching hers without batting an eyelid.
Yeiiiiiiiiiii!!!!! That’s great to hear.
So I’ve been craving moi moi and akara for a while but couldn’t be bothered to stand and peel the beans. Only for me to come here looking for moi moi tips and I see this. Needless to say I have gone to soak my beans and can’t wait to cook it tomorrow….. Thanks Much! You Rock!
Great! let me know how it turns out.
So after the initial try that didn’t turn out as expected ‘cos I didn’t add enough salt. I finally did it again tonight and Yaaaaaaay!!! Hubby loves it! And he doesn’t even know I didn’t peel the back off the beans :D
Thank you so much for coming up with this recipe. <3
awesome!!! you are most welcome
Thanks for sharing this …….I wanted to ask u a lil questions ….
Batter is what ?
Sorry oooh I am not a nigerian but but married to a nigerian and will love to prepare this for my hubby
Batter is the blended beans mix
Thank you. Will try it again this weekend with 35 minutes
You are most welcome. keep me posted.
hi, can i use cupcake paper cups instead of oiling the pans?
Hello 9jafoodie, that you for your great blog. I tried to make it today but I used mini loaf pans. I think I overcooked it. I did 1 hour at 350 because I kept sliding a knife in and it was not coming out clean. Now, it’s dry! Please advice on better timing for next time.
1 hours is very long. The toothpick test or fork test works. however you don’t want a completely dry fork, just no drip. I think 35 minutes is plenty at 350.
Hi and thank you for this lovely recipe. I just woke up this morning and was in the mood for experimenting so i came here and found this. I wanna try it now but you said you highly recommend soaking the beans overnight.
What benefit does soaking overnight have over the soaking in hot water option? Please help…thanks :*
Soaking overnight makes it easier to blend, that’s about it.
Hello Mrs Edoho. I intend to make this tomorrow for a pot roast at work. Can i make the batter a night before and store in the fridge, to cook in the oven the next morning. Thank you so much.
I really haven’t tried storing my batter overnight. I don’t see it being an issue though, but make sure it is NOT tightly covered.
do you think i could add raw ripe plantain to the mix ? to get a ‘plantainy , beansy’ flavour?
That will definitely be an interesting combination, let me know how it goes.
Can’t wait to try dis. From d pics i kw it will be nice. Hmmmm!!! Yummy!!!!
it is delicious
If my family doesn’t eat eggs can I leave it out, or will it affect the texture? Thank you
Feel free to do it without. Just whisk a lot of air into it.
Thank you for replying…
anytime :)
for over a week now have been thinking of making moi moi and when I saw your post on ig about unpeeled moi moi I had to come and check your blog… so I would be trying it tomorrow… i really pray it turns out well….. so expect pictures tomorrow evening… fingers crossed. …
That’s great Dupe, do let us know how it turns out.
Thanks for the recipe.I’ve always hated peeling moin-moinmoin.Its time consuming and stressful.Will try this out.
Great, let us know how it turns out.
I tried it and I am never peeling the beans again it came out the same except for the black spots from the black eyed beans, this time a round i am using brown beans. I also like the way you steam it . my way is too long.
Yeiii!!! team no peel. thanks for the feedback
Please what kind of blender do you use, I tried blending the beans in my regular blender but it started smoking and it stopped working even before I was done blending the beans. Thank you
I use a kenwood. The trick to blending with non commercial blender is to start a little at a time, dont add too much into the blender at ones.
Thank you very much.
I tried the unpeeled method but I noticed it’s took time before it get done
Thanks a lot for answering. I’ll try it this week.
Do let us know how it turns out
Hello :-) I’ve never cooked any Nigerian food but I really want to try this. I have some questions. I apologize in advance for the lengthy post… Do I have to add the 2 raw eggs? I’m worried it will taste “eggy”. I live in Canada (I read in your comments that you live in Canada as well) please where can I buy brown beans and also where can I buy crayfish? Lastly, did you use a frying pan to cook the moin moin? I can’t find a frying pan large enough to fit a 12 cupcake pan. Is the water filled just half way in the pan? I always thought you had to totally immerse the moin moin in water? I hope you are patient enough to answer my 1 million questions lol. Thank you very much. I’m a fan :-)
No problem Gee, we are here to answer your questions.
1) the egg is not a must. I can guarantee that the dish will not taste eggy.
2) crayfish – from your local Nigerian store.
3) I used a wok. moimoi is actually meant to be steamed. it shouldn’t be submerged in water. If you have a steamer, that works. You can also cut the cupcake pan if you are using the disposable type.
Good one, but why palm oil. can i use vegetable oil instead.
You can use any type of oil you prefer
Hey doll, ur recipes are superb. I love experimenting with food. Never thought unpeeled beans could be so appealing. Thank u so much. I’m so trying this recipe. Yaaaay..
You are most welcome. Do let us know how it turns out.
I mean I love ur blog!
Thanks Debra!
Hello,this red beans is it the same as Nigerian brown beans?Thanks so much for this. I love our blog.
I’m trying this tonight, can’t wait to see the finished product.
do keep us posted
I try out before commenting and this is by far the best moimoi i’ve made. I baked in the oven with my muffin pan and it was awesome.
Thank you for this invention cos i will definitely be making moimoi the more.
whoop!! thanks for taking the time to leave a feedback. we are glad the moimoi worked out for you.
You are welcome. Just keep it coming and i will be experimenting and blowing your trumpet to my fans :)
Why do we need to add egg?
Raw eggs is to make the moimoi fluffy. Boiled egg is optional
This MoinMoin looks so rich and tasty. The skin is completely invisible. Lovely pictures. Welldone!
Thanks!
Hi, I’ve been trying to seek your consent to use some of your images on my web project. I seriously admire your food photography.
When you think of nutrition, it’s nice know that moimoi can come well with the peel.
Hi Niyi, what web project? at what capacity? send us an email.
I have sent the e-mail. Thanks
I’m excited already, no more long hours of washing beans
yes indeed!
Hi. Will it have the same consistency if i grind it with the commercial grinders
yes it will
Wow! God bless you 4 dis
Ammen
Hello. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Question about the 2 eggs. Do u beat them prior to adding in the batter or just crack them in whole? Thanks
No, you do not have to beat the egg prior. it’s all combined in the mixing process.
I tried the recipe,it came out alrite,More brownish than I’m used to but the overall result was yummy!
I’ll try to post ma pics…..thanks for the recipe upload……
That’s great to hear.
This unpeeled Mormon is made by the ebira they call it apapa but the cupcake pan makes it perfect. I love it
Apapa is different. The texture is very different and it does not contain eggs. I will do a proper Apapa recipe shortly.
Wow I cant wait to try this. Pls what quantity can this make? Abd can I use cupcake pans that are not foil covered? Finally pls enlighten me on how to make it in the oven. Thanks
This made about a dozen of the pictured size. You can use whatever container you have, just make sure they are covered so as not to allow water in. See recipe note for oven method.
Thanks alot, am definitely trying this pattern of making moimoi tomorrow, TGIF. God bless you dear for sharing this. Am new here but i think i have come to stay. Please also share healthy 9ja recipes for Vegetarians/weight watchers, and also 9ja recipes for Smoothies. Thanks alot once again.
Hi Addy, we have a health and diet tab. explore it for healthy recipes. https://www.9jafoodie.com/category/health-diet/
Nice… i’ll try this. So stresless, but i hope there is no health issues to eating unpeeled beans.
Health Issues? why? it’s the same as eating regular beans.
you are simply the best. i have been refering people to your website. Thanks for all you do
Thanks for the referrals. you are always welcome
Thank you so much for this….muah
You are welcome
Can I use olive oil instead of Palm oil?
Yes you can.
You make it really easy for us to try out. God bless you. I have benefited so much from ur blog. Am very grateful. Thank you so much. Then the loaf pan is it like foil plate? Where can I get it?
Thank you much! amen amen. yes, it’s regular foil pan. You can get it from the baking aisle of any grocery store.
Wow!!! Awesome. Thank you for sharing. I will definitely try this out….
Awesome
I knew it!! I knew this could be done. thanks 9jafoodie. will be trying this soon..
great
How Many raw eggs to be added to your listed measurement?
two
Whey dear,the only beans I can lay my hands on is the black eye.Would this work?
As indicated in the recipe, I used Black eyed beans the first time I tried this. It was delicious but the black eye stayed in the moimoi (First picture)
Can’t wait try this ooo
great!
Hello, tnx sharing this method, but I wanna get something straight. Did u say we can mix it with raw uncooked egg after blending?
Yes Nneka, add in two raw eggs. The eggs greatly enhance the texture of the moi moi.
Wow! Thanks for dis easy step to preparing moimoi. I love moimoi but loathe washing n picking d beans. Thanks a lot!
You are most welcome.
Hi, please can I bake in the oven instead of steaming on Fire? Am just looking for the easiest way out, if I can en I tell you my moimoi experience would be complete forever…
You definitively can. Bake at 350f for 20-25 minutes or until set. I will advice that you bake it covered, this will ensure that the batter doesn’t dry out. You can also steam-bake. you place the baking pan in another pan filled with water.
Can I use sweet beans (oloyin) or must it be drum?
Oloyin works just fine
Is there any effect if I make a beans flour with out washing the beans
Can I add a little baking powder for some fluff?
I have never tried it but it sounds like a great idea. I will experiment and get back to you.
My next conquest…
awesome! keep us posted
Girl…I am so trying this.
whoop!! lol… Do let me know how it goes.
Work made easy, can’t wait to try it….
Excited much :)
trying this out on Saturday. can’t wait!
Let us know how it goes and share pictures :)
Thanks, I will definitely try it this weekend
Let us know how it turns out
I will try this because the stress of peeling the beans can be tedious and time consuming.
well done.
I completely agree and leaving the fiber on makes it much more filling too.
Lovely recipe. Can’t wait to try it out.
I am sure you will enjoy it
Have you ever made this differently…to mean as a sweet treat…? I love making black bean brownies and I’m quite curious how moi moi would do…
No I haven’t. Sweet sounds interesting.. how would you go about it?
Keep us posted