Mọin-mọin: Savory bean pudding for a gathering
A large-format Mọin-mọin mixes mildly sweet beans with onions, peppers, dried crayfish and red palm oil, folded with a whisked egg, then wrapped in banana leaves and steamed with smoked fish and boiled eggs for a flavorful centerpiece.
Thick and soft, this pudding of ẹ̀wà olóyin (a mildly sweet bean), onions, bell peppers and chiles gently cradles boiled eggs and smoked fish. In Yorùbá, one of the languages spoken across West Africa, the garnishes for this dish are often called ẹmi (lives or spirits), and can range from three to seven add-ons, such as chopped bits of cooked meat or fresh prawns. Wrapped in fragrant ewé mọin-mọin (banana leaves are a good alternative) and steamed, the bean batter and garnishes hold their robust flavors like a surprise gift. Dried crayfish and red palm oil are folded into the batter to add richness, and a whisked egg ensures a firmly set texture for this large-format version of mọin-mọin, which sometimes come in smaller cone-shaped, leaf-wrapped packages. Serve cut into wedges or scooped alongside jollof rice and èfọ́ rírò or any leafy green stew.