How to make Moin Moin Pancake

Moin Moin Pancake

 

Moin Moin is one the dishes that brands us as Nigerians. A party without Moin Moin or Jollof rice is not complete. Growing up, Moin moin was one of my favorite buys on those rear occasions when my mum will give me some coins to buy snacks at school.

The aroma of the  Moin Moin wrapped in leaves  as ‘ Iya oni Moin Moin , ( the Moin Moin woman ) opened her basin of steaming hot beans pudding was the moment we all as primary school pupils dreamt of when our break time drew near. I guess for those last few lessons the teachers must have lost us as we would day dream in Moin Moin wonderland.

The protein packed beans and the other savoury component coupled with the keeping quality of this dish makes it a favorite of many women. Hot or cold the taste and goodness of Moin Moin remains the same. When cooked in bulk it can be frozen and warmed when ready to be eaten without one losing the taste and flavour of the pudding

Why the pancake version then? During this last weekend, I had gotten the bean paste ready formula weekly stock of  Moin Moin but suddenly I was not in the mood to wrap the pudding, steam and wait for about 45 minutes for it to cook. I had to fry off the moin moin paste to get Moin Moin Pancake.

To further take me off the weekend Moin Moin journey my brother was over with his kids and all I wanted was to spend some time with the kids just fooling around. So I decided that I needed some interesting finger foods for the kids whilst we had time to play and the bean paste had to be put to good use. This was how the Moin Moin Pancake was created. My #shoki dance when the first well formed cake came through got my niece and nephew giggling for minutes.

Moin Moin Pancake makes me feel like I am enjoying the best of two worlds…Akara and Moin Moin.  Go ahead and try yours. I will like to have your feedback.

 

Recipe for Moin Moin Pancake

1 cup Beans paste (brown beans)

1 Egg

1/4 cup dressed Shrimps

2 medium size Tomato (chopped)

1-2 pieces Scotch bonnet Pepper (chopped)

1/4 medium size Onion (chopped)

1/4 teaspoon fresh Ginger paste

1 table spoon Green peas

2 tablespoon oil

Few “Curry leaves (Patmenja)

Crayfish seasoning to taste

Salt to taste

 

Method

1. Wash, skin and blend the beans with little or no water. The paste has to be thick. If your domestic blender is fragile you may consider going to the neighborhood miller to blend the beans. Usually I go with some water to rinse the miller’s machine properly before grinding my beans. This is to be sure that other previously ground items do not mix with mine.
2. Heat the oil and fry the onion, pepper, tomatoes and ginger paste. Season with crayfish seasoning and salt.
3. When veggies are soft add the shrimps and cook. Lastly add the green peas and Partmenja and cook till shrimp is cooked. Allow to cool slightly before adding to the beans paste
4. Beat the egg and add to the beans paste and whisk for a few minutes to incorporate air.  This is the secret to fluffy Moin Moin pancakes.
5. Add the shrimp sauce to the beans paste and whisk for a few seconds more before frying.
6. Heat the frying pan with a little oil just to prevent the cakes from sticking, scoop the paste onto the pan as you will do for regular pancakes. Fry till brown on one side and turn over the other side to cook and brown.  Cook on medium heat as this helps the cakes to cook through. Avoid making the cake too thick so that it cooks through properly.
7. Serve cakes with hot beverage or Ogi.

Watch how to make Moin Moin using traditional leaves