Making moi moi in large quantities is usually a nightmare for a lot of people. There’s the fact that once it is wrapped and steaming, you cannot add any other ingredient to improve the taste. For some people, it is a hit or miss because there’s a lot of guesswork.
It is good for a caterer to know how to prepare moi moi on a large scale. This recipe is a lifesaver, with it you will easily cook moi moi for 100 people. You can scale it up to larger quantities or down to household quantities. Even though it is for commercial quantity, the taste is still premium and the texture is soft like butter.
At Nigerian parties, it is not strange to find people asking for just moi moi, meat/fish and some salad. These are usually those who don’t want any carbs, dieters, health buffs etc.
Moi moi is made of beans which is skinned, pureed and steamed, a type of bean pudding. It has a low-calorie count and is a very healthy food. You cannot omit moi moi from your party menu, it’s a party necessity just like Jollof rice and fried rice. Usually, it is served as a side with jollof rice, fried rice, fried plantain, Singapore rice noodles, salad etc.
Texture to look out for in large-scale Moi Moi making (How to prepare moi moi on a large scale)
Well-made MoiMoi should be soft and moist not dry, it should not be crumbly, breaking apart or mushy, rather it should be buttery almost. No ingredient should overpower the taste of your bean pudding but be a mellow blend of everything added. The tastiest MoiMoi is wrapped and steamed in Uma leaves (Thaumatococcus daniellii) or in banana leaves.
I like to use Drum beans (Large brown beans) although black-eyed peas, Olotu beans and a few others are also good. Make sure to buy a species of beans that the skin easily peels off, especially diasporans (UK, USA, Canada, Australia etc).
Tips on Healthy Moi moi (Moin-moin, mai mai)
- Moi moi can be made plain or with protein(s) added to it, it all depends on your preference. These include boiled eggs, sardines, corned beef, smoked or iced fish, luncheon meat, sausages, hotdog, shrimp, cow liver, minced meat etc. These are not mixed into the batter rather they are added in chunks.
- To make moi moi healthier, you can reduce the amount of oil used in this recipe. Your moi moi will still turn out delicious.
- This recipe can also be used in baked moi moi, click here.
How to make moi moi for 100 people
15 cups Beans 35 Eggs (optional) 5-6 large onions 30 pieces Scotch bonnet (Ata rodo, Fresh pepper) 35 pieces Shombo (Cayenne pepper) 30 cubes Seasoning cubes 4 litres Water Salt 3 litres Vegetable oil 5 bundles Large Moi moi leaves 3 bundles Small Moi moi leaves
Pick beans to remove grit and stones.
Wash beans to remove the skin, CLICK to see How to peel beans, How to peel beans using a blender or How to peel beans using a food processor.
Grease your cooking containers or wash uma leaves and set aside.
Boil eggs and slice one bulb of onion.
Mix together beans, onions, scotch bonnet, shombo and one litre of water.
Leave to soak for 10 minutes.
Place in a high-power blender or a commercial grinder, and grind until it turns into a smooth paste.
Pour bean paste into a large bowl and mix very well.
Mixing the MoiMoi for 100 people
Pour half of the water (or stock) into the blended beans, keep mixing for 3-5 minutes.
In a frying pan, heat up your vegetable oil.
Pour the hot oil into the bean paste and keep stirring to get a light and fluffy paste.
Gradually add water until the right consistency is reached (The consistency of thick drinking yoghurt).
Add seasoning cubes, mix and taste for salt and add salt.
Into a very large pot add about 2 inches of water.
Place a steamer rack in the pot, or put uma leaf stalks, plastic bags, etc. in the pot.
Fill the Uma leaves or cooking containers. (Do not fill to the top because moi-moi expands during cooking).
Gently place on the rack and put over high heat.
(The rubber band was insurance for the moi moi wrapped by my novice cook)
Cover the pot and cook until when a skewer is inserted into the middle it comes out almost dry about 45-50 minutes.
Take off the heat and allow it to cool down a bit to firm up.
Notes on how to make moi moi for 100 people
- You need to taste your raw batter because once you have cooked it, you can’t add anything anymore. When you taste your batter, there should be less salt than needed because when cooked the taste of the salt becomes more pronounced.
- Add a little oil to the steaming water if using uma leaves so that the moi moi foam will not stick to the leaves and the leaves will come out clean and glossy, this is good for presentation.
- Be careful with the amount of water added to your batter, too much water will make your moinmoin mushy.
- Do not overfill the containers because moimoi expands as it cooks.
- Moimoi can also be baked or cooked in the microwave oven.
- Replace 1.5 litres of water with fish, beef or chicken stock, and strain before adding.
- Add stock first before adding hot oil and water.
- If ground beans is left at room temperature for a long time, it will go sour. If you are not using it immediately, put it in the freezer or place chunks of charcoal in the beans to slow down souring. Remove charcoal when ready to use.
- For home cooks, you can skin a large quantity of beans and freeze them. Then defrost and grind.
How to cook moi moi for 100 people
Ingredients
- 15 cups Beans
- 35 Eggs (Optional)
- 5-6 large onions
- 30 pieces Scotch bonnet Ata rodo, Fresh pepper
- 35 pieces Shombo Cayenne pepper
- 30 Seasoning cubes
- 4 litres Water
- Salt
- 3 litres Vegetable oil
- 5 bundles Large Moi moi leaves
- 3 bundles Small Moi moi leaves
Instructions
- Pick beans to remove grit and stones.
- Wash beans to remove the skin. (Link above)
- Grease your cooking containers or wash uma leaves and set aside.
- Boil eggs and slice one bulb of onion.
- Mix beans, onions, scotch bonnet, shombo and one litre of water. Leave to soak for 10 minutes.
- Place in a high-power blender or a commercial grinder, and grind until it turns into a smooth paste.
- Pour bean paste into a large bowl and mix very well.
Mixing the MoiMoi for 100 people
- Pour half of the water (or stock) into the blended beans, keep mixing for 3-5 minutes.
- In a frying pan, heat up your vegetable oil. Pour the hot oil into the bean paste and keep stirring to get a light and fluffy paste.
- Gradually add water until the right consistency is reached (The consistency of thick drinking yoghurt).
- Add seasoning cubes, mix and taste for salt and add salt.
- Into a very large pot add about 2 inches of water.
- Place a steamer rack in the pot, or put uma leaf stalks, plastic bags, etc. in the pot.
- Fill the Uma leaves or cooking containers. (Do not fill to the top because moi-moi expands during cooking).
- Gently place on the rack and put over high heat.
- Cover the pot and cook until when a skewer is inserted into the middle it comes out almost dry about 45-50 minutes.
- Take off the heat and allow it to cool down a bit to firm up.
Notes
- You need to taste your raw batter because once you have cooked it, you can't add anything anymore.
- When you taste your batter, there should be less salt than needed because when cooked the taste of the salt becomes more pronounced.
- Add a little oil to the steaming water if using uma leaves so that the moi moi foam will not stick to the leaves and the leaves will come out clean and glossy, this is good for presentation.
- Be careful with the amount of water added to your batter, too much water will make your moinmoin mushy.
- Do not overfill the containers because moimoi expands as it cooks.
- Moimoi can also be baked or cooked in the microwave oven.
- Replace 1.5 litres of water with fish, beef or chicken stock, and strain before adding.
- Add stock first before adding hot oil and water.
- If ground beans is left at room temperature for a long time, it will go sour. If you are not using it immediately, put it in the freezer or place a big chunk of charcoal in the beans to slow down souring. Remove charcoal when ready to use.
If you enjoyed my How to make moi moi for 100 people, you will also enjoy my How to make Nigerian fried rice for 100 people (Step-by-Step), How to cook Smoky Party Jollof Rice for 100 people (Step-by-step), Moi moi using beans powder and Agidi Jollof.
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