Oven baked Moin Moin - Baked Moi Moi

I will show you how to make moist and flavorful Nigerian Moi Moi in the oven! A modern twist on the traditional moi moi that tastes just as delicious!

What is Moin Moin

Moin moin has no English name. However, the best way to describe it is ''steamed bean pudding.'' It is a Nigerian dish made with beans, peppers, and spices blended together and cooked. It’s wholesome, protein-packed, and made with simple, everyday ingredients.

Many people eat it as lunch with a bowl of garri. The leftovers are usually warmed on the next morning and paired with a bowl of hot pap. I’d also serve it as a meal along with fried fish.

Did I mention, moi moi, is also one of our party foods. Most Nigerian parties will always serve moi moi.

What I love about moin moin is its versatility. It pairs well with jollof rice, fried rice, garri, and even bread for a simple breakfast.

Moin Moin has several other names, such as Moi Moi, Moyin Moyin, or Olele.

Modern Twist - Oven-Baked Moin-moin

Moin moin originated from the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria, and the name itself comes from the Yoruba language.

Moin Moin is one of those dishes that always feels like home. Growing up, I remember how special it was when a pot of moin moin was steaming away in the kitchen. The aroma alone told you it was going to be a good meal.

Traditionally, we wrap our moin moin in Ewe eran (Thaumatococcus daniellii leaves, also called “moinmoin leaves”) and steam it over a stove pot until solid. The leaves add a unique aroma.

Since the leaves are not readily available everywhere in the world, there have been modern twists to the mold of moin moin. Today, people also use tins, ceramic bowls, or nylon bags for convenience.

Now, baking moi moi in the oven has become a quicker, easier way to get the same soft and flavorful result.

If you enjoy Nigerian bean dishes like akara (bean cakes), flavourful ewa riro or this hearty ewa agoyin, then this oven-baked moin moin will easily find its place on your family table

My Love for Oven-Baked Moi Moi

I love how this method delivers the same soft, moist texture without the fuss of steaming in leaves or foil.

I'm aware that moi moi is not new to some of us. However, the question I always hear is how can I bake moi moi in the oven without getting dry and crispy at the edges. I will show you how to make your oven-baked Moin Moin that is moist yet firm, just like the steamed method.

Another question I often get asked is, can I use the Nigerian Honey Beans (Ewa Oloyin) or the Nigerian Brown Beans for making Moin Moin? My answer is always Yes. You can definitely use any of these varieties of Beans.

Ingredients for Making Oven-baked Moin Moin

1. Beans: The main ingredient. Usually peeled and blended with other ingredients. 
2. Onion: Adds flavor and aroma!
3. Vegetable/palm oil: Keeps your moin moin moist and smooth. Palm oil also adds more color and flavor.
4. Tatashe: Traditionally, we use tatashe (a variety of savory red pepper). However, you can use any savory red pepper you can find, depending on your location. 
5. Habanero pepper: Adds heat. You can remove the seeds if you want less heat.
6. Mackerel/Eggs: Sliced hard-boiled eggs and fish are extra ingredients. They improve the nutrition of the moi-moi and add texture. You can also use salmon or tuna in place of Mackerel.
7. Salt/stock cube: Enhances all the flavors in your dish. 
8. Stock: Flavor and moisture.

How to Make Oven-baked Moin Moin

1. Soak, peel, and clean the beans.
2. Place a pan half-filled with water inside the Oven and preheat the Oven to 350°F
3. Blend the beans with the red bell pepper, habanero pepper, and onion until it becomes as fine as it can be.
4. Pour the batter into a bowl, add the salt, seasoning cube, mackerel, and oil, and mix thoroughly to allow enough air in the batter.
5. Distribute the batter into the muffin pan or any baking pan you choose to use.
6. Place it inside the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes or till a knife inserted into the middle comes out fairly clean.
7. Serve with garri, bread, or rice, or eat as is. Enjoy!

How to Prepare Your Beans for Moin Moin

Preparing the beans for moin moin is usually the most challenging step in making the dish. Growing up, the thought of peeling beans alone was enough to give me cold feet. But no matter how tiring the process seemed, the anticipation of enjoying that soft, flavorful moin moin at the end always kept me going. 

Fun fact: You can now buy already peeled beans in the market to make moin moin, but I still like to make my own from scratch. With modern tools, I now have hacks for peeling my beans fast. You can follow these steps, too.

1. Select the Beans: Use black-eyed peas or brown beans (the common types for moin moin in Nigeria).
2. Wash & Peel the Beans: Soak beans in water for 10–15 minutes to soften the skin. Traditionally, we would rub the beans between our palms to remove the skin. But I now use the pulse function in my blender with water for a few seconds to peel fast. You can also use food processor. Ensure you use pulse so that it doesn’t blend smoothly. Rinse repeatedly, draining off the floating skins, until the beans are clean and white.
3. Soak: If necessary, soak the beans in clean water for another 10–15 minutes. Hard beans will make the moin moin turn out grainy. Soft beans will yield smoother texture.
4. Blend: Blend peeled beans with red bell peppers, Scotch bonnet, onions, and water until smooth. The mixture should be thick but not too watery. 

Tools for Making Oven-baked Moin Moin

1. Blender / Food Processor: to peel and blend the beans
2. Mixing Bowls & Spoon/Whisk: for mixing
3. Baking Dish or Muffin Pan: for baking
4. Foil / Baking Paper: to cover the dish or pan to trap steam
5. Deep Oven Tray: to hold hot water (creating a water bath that helps steam the moinmoin evenly).
6. Oven Mitts: for safe handling when placing or removing hot trays.
7. Spatula: to scoop the bean mixture into your baking dish.

Frequently Asked Questions About Oven-baked Moin Moin

1. Can I make my oven-baked moin moin without adding palm oil?

Yes. Vegetable oil alone works fine. Palm oil adds a traditional flavor and color.

2. How do I remove my oven-baked moin moin from the pan without it sticking?

Always grease your muffin pan or baking dish with oil before pouring in the batter. It makes unmolding much easier and keeps the moin moin looking neat.

3. Why did the upper part of my oven-baked moin moin burn while the inside did not cook?

This happens when the oven temperature is too high or the dish is placed too close to the top heat. Bake at a steady medium heat of about 350°F (175°C). Place the pan on the middle rack of your oven for even cooking.

4. Why did my moin moin turn too hard or dry after baking?

This usually happens because your oven-baked moin moin batter didn’t have enough liquid, or it was baked uncovered. Be sure to add enough stock or water and cover your batter before baking.

5. Can I freeze my oven-baked moin moin?

Yes, you can. Store leftovers in a ziplock bag or put them in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 2 months.

6. What can I use instead of mackerel in moin moin?

You can use boiled eggs, shredded chicken, or even corned beef. The beauty of moin moin is that it is easily customizable.

How to Serve Oven-Baked Moin Moin

Oven-baked moin moin goes well with many Nigerian dishes. Here are some that I really like to serve with it:

1. Bread
   - Crusty Dutch Oven Bread
   - No-Knead Potato Bread
   - Bread Rolls
   - Sweet Milk Bread Recipe
2. Classic Nigerian Salad, custard, or eko
3. Rice
   - Nigerian Fried Rice Recipe,
   - Nigerian Jollof Rice
   - White rice
4. You can also serve with garri, pap (ogi – fermented cornmeal), and more, as your creativity allows.

Other beans recipes you can try 

1. Ewa Riro (Stewed Beans)
2. Akara Recipe – Nigerian Beans Fritters
3. Nigerian Rice and Beans Recipe 
4. Moin moin (steamed beans pudding)
5. Hearty ewa agoyin

Notes:

• I used both palm oil and vegetable oil for this recipe, but feel free to use either one.
• Ensure the peeled beans are very soft before blending. This will help prevent gritty beans batter.
• Feel free to bake the moin moin in any pan size, but I recommend using a smaller pan to prevent overcooking in the oven. A larger pan will take longer to cook.

https://youtu.be/iYbG2SQqeXU

So, here is how to make your Moin Moin in the Oven without the nasty crispy edges. Your Moin Moin will come out firm, yet moist. Enjoy!

 

 

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