What's bean pudding?

Everybody likes something that can be eaten as both a side dish and a main meal right? That was what I thought when I decided to make bean puddings. Making bean pudding as a student is rare in the hostel because of its skinning process which might seem too hectic for some people. But then, I couldn't help it because I kept on craving it and it was a Sunday. I couldn't get a vendor or a restaurant around that sells it.

Bean pudding is a Nigerian dish made of skinned black-eyed peas (beans). It's native name is Moi moi.

The main ingredient required when preparing bean pudding is skinned beans. I skinned my beans which was a hectic process. Here's a picture of my beans before and after skinning.

This is the part most people find hard when it comes to preparing moi-moi but I successfully scaled through.

How do you skin your black-eyed peas?

Black-eyed peas are usually connected to the skins. To peel off the skins, you have to put your beans in water for about two minutes which makes the skin softer and a very little bit easier to remove. In my case, I'm a student and I'm not allowed to use a blender in school so I had to use my hands. If you're using a blender, after about two minutes of soaking it, you drain the water out and put it in your blender, then you begin to pose it (turn it on and turn it off repeatedly). If you're not using a blender, after draining the water, you begin to rub the beans between your hands and against the bulk of the beans in the bowl. As you scrub and rub, the skin will peel off. When most of the skins have peeled off, add water (it should engulf the beans). You will find the skins floating. Use a sieve to drain out the skins and continue to scrub till all skins have been removed.

After skinning the beans, you should soak it for about 2 hours so it gets very soft and is easier to blend. I took mine to the market to grind it because I don't have a blender. While grinding it, I added pepper, onion and some ginger. I'm not a fan of garlic so I didn't add garlic but if you're a lover of garlic, you can add.

I couldn't really take pictures of it while grinding cause I had to leave it in the process to buy some other things in the market. When I was done grinding it in the market, I headed straight for the dorm. Here's a picture of the road to my hostel.

Getting back to the dorm, I proceeded to the second stage of preparing my bean pudding which involves the steaming and mixing of my beans. I added some salt, seasoning cubes and a little quantity of peanut (groundnut) oil. I also added a little teaspoon of blended crayfish as I wanted my bean pudding to have a local vibe associated with it.

When I was done adding all my ingredients and seasoning, I stirred it well so that some ingredients aren't stuck in one particular side of the bowl. Done mixing, I began to put it into the nylons I had gotten for it. You can add fish or boiled egg to it (Not really necessary. The choice is yours). I didn't add fish because I made a low-budget bean pudding.

Must I use nylons?

No. Using nylons isn't a must. You can use little sizeable plates. Fill in your desired quantity and place it in a pot containing very little water. Bean puddings don't require direct heat. The steam from the boiling water below is what it needs. When you're done filling it into plates or nylons (your choice), and placed it in the pot, leave it to heat for about 20 to 30 mins so all parts get to cook very well.

There! your bean pudding is ready to be eaten. You can eat it with bread, rice or the Nigerian custard. It is very suitable for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Now, when I was done, I was disappointed because I found out I had to reduce the quantity I'll be giving friends so it can go round. I had actually planned to do it the traditional way. In Nigeria, when you cook a meal that isn't really cooked frequently, you share with your neighbours. I had planned doing that but I only ended up being able to share with my roommates. But nevertheless, I was happy I was still able to share.

I think that's all about this post centering on bean pudding. If you have any questions or confusions, feel free to ask me in the comment section. I really hope you try it out.

All images were taken by me using my Infinix Hot 12i device.