THE FOOD DISCIPLE

Hello Everyone!

This is another one of those recipes I have been meaning to blog about and to be frank I have been lazy getting to it 😀 Moi Moi is a Nigerian delight made from blended beans as the base and steamed in a hot water bath. It is very healthy and a perfect source of protein for us Nigerians compared to the other kinds of food we eat (mostly rice). It is mostly enjoyed as a side with Jollof Rice and Fried rice and you can also enjoy on its own as well. The beauty about Moi Moi is that you can enjoy it plain or you can stuff with any choice of protein; trust Nigerians we never enjoy anything plain. Moi Moi is usually stuffed with boiled eggs, mackerel fish or corned beef; I used shredded chicken thighs instead of Mackerel in my recipe.  Moi Moi is easy to prepare but the preparation is very intricate, and you will have to follow the steps as stated. I recommend making the batter over the weekend and store in the refrigerator, batter can last up to a week. I honestly lovee this dish, very deelicious and to me Jollof is not complete without moi moi as a side. I do not think moi moi has been given the praise it deserves as jollof does. Moi Moi is very moist and fluffy on the inside  and with every bite, oh my orgasmic!😍😋 This is one dish I believe everyone should be making often, you do not need to be Nigerian to enjoy this wonderful dish; we definitely need the protein and our body will thank us for it. Try my recipe below and I will love to hear your feedback.

Now let’s get to it.

Enjoy!

Moi Moi (Bean Cake)

August 25, 2017

Servings: 4

Prep: 25 min

Cook: 50 min

Total: 1 hr 15 min

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By: admin

Ingredients

• 2-3 Cups of Beans/ Beans Flour
• 1 Cup of Shredded Chicken
• ⅓ Cup of Corned Beef
• 1 medium sized Red Onion
• 2 Red Bell Peppers
• 3 Scotch Bonnet (remove seeds to reduce heat)
• 2 tbsp of Tomato Paste (optional)
• 2 Eggs
• 3 tbsp of ground CrayFish
• 2 Seasoning Cubes
• 1 tsp of Curry
• Salt
• 2 Cooking Spoon of Vegetable/Olive oil
• 2-3 Cups of Water
• Tools for Beans Peeling:
• Blender
• 2 Utility Bowls
• Cooking spoon
• Sieve/Colander

Directions

• Step 1 To get your beans ready, soak beans in cold water for 6 mins, drain water after soaking. In a blender, add 2 cooking spoons of beans and water enough to cover beans. Hit the pulse button only about 3-5 times so the skins can pull off the beans. Do not over do this step so you do not completely crush the beans, be very careful and us your eyes so you do not pulse more than needed. Also do not press the pulse button at a go, press the button for 2 seconds at a time. Transfer beans in blender to the other bowl and repeat the same process with the rest of the beans.
• Step 2 When you are done with the pulsing, rub beans between your palms to get the skins off the beans that did not get off in the blender. Pour the skins into the sieve so you do not block your drain. Repeat this process until you have clean skinless beans. I recommend using actual beans instead of bean flour because it tastes so much better and it has a better texture. There are tons of descriptive videos online so you can visually see how it is done. This is the fastest way to have this process done and I will be providing a video on this page soon.
• Step 3 If you are using bean flour, start from this step. Add peeled beans and all ingredients except eggs, cooking oil and meats, blend until smooth. Your batter should be as smooth, light and running as a pancake batter. Transfer to a clean bowl or stand mixer, whisk continuously using a mixer or wooden spoon if you do not have any. Whisking your batter incorporates air which will make your batter fluffy and light. Add your eggs one at a time while mixing as well as your oil. Whisk for 5-7 mins. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt or seasoning cube if needed. Add chicken and corned beef or any protein of choice, mix properly with a cooking spoon and your batter is ready. Your protein must be cooked.
• Step 4 Moi Moi is steamed to achieve the best result. You can use a ramekin, baking dish, aluminium foil pan etc. whichever you choose, your pan must be placed in a water bath, your water bath should cover your baking dish halfway when placed in, you do not want water sipping into your batter when cooking. Locally moi moi is cooked in Banana Leaves, but we will be using an easier cooking method.
• Step 5 Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Lightly butter your baking dish or pan. Place water bath in oven so water can get hot. Add batter in your coated baking dish, cover with foil so you can retain the steam. I usually leave my Moi Moi uncovered after it is cooked to get the top a little crispy. When oven is ready to go, place batter in your water bath and cook for 40-50 minutes.
• Step 6 Your Moi Moi is ready!!
• Step 7 Enjoy on its own or pair as a side with Rice.

Hello Everyone!

I have been waiting to write about this recipe for a while now and I have found the perfect time. If you love chicken gizzards, here is a lovely recipe you can achieve. I loveee me some chicken gizzards especially when it is fried and cooked in hot tomato stew/sauce, in gizdodo (West African side dish: gizzards and plantain cooked in tomato stew),  or in coconut rice😋; ohhh the manys ways I enjoy chicken gizzards. Dirty rice has become another way I will be enjoying my chicken gizzards. Dirty Rice is a local dish enjoyed in the southern part of the United States. It is basically seasoned meat mixed in cooked long grain rice. Chicken Gizzard, Ground Beef and Liver are usually used to achieve this dish. In this recipe, I will be using Chicken Gizzards and Liver. I know some of you are a bit concerned about liver, trust me it is really delicious when properly seasoned. However if you are still uncomfortable, you can always swap liver for ground beef.  Dirty Rice can be served a side or can be enjoyed as a main dish as well. You will need some time and concentration to achieve this dish as it is very complex but it is definitely time well spent. Very tasty, delicious and with every spoon, little pieces of meat is involved 😃. I paired it with a side of Coleslaw, and My Oh My My My My! (in my Johnny Gill voice) it was party in my mouth😍. Give this a try just once, it is one of those recipes that it is either a hit or miss (you hate it or love it). Be adventurous and try something new today 🙂 I will love to hear your feedback.

Now let’s get to it.

Enjoy!

Dirty Rice

August 24, 2017

Servings: 5

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 2 hr

Total: 2 hr 20 min

Difficulty: Medium

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By: admin

Ingredients

• 2 lbs of Chicken Gizzards
• 1 lb of Chicken Liver
• 1 large Onion
• 3-4 stalks of Scallion
• 1 Green Bell Pepper
• 2-3 stalks of Celery
• 4 Cups of Long grain Rice
• ¼ Onion Powder
• ¼ Garlic powder
• ¼ Dried Thyme
• ¼ Dried Oregano
• ¼ Rubbed Sage
• ½ Paprika
• ¼ Cayenne Pepper
• ½ Chili Pepper( for some heat/ optional)
• A pinch of Cumin
• ¼ Ground Black Pepper
• 1 ½ Salt
• Unsalted Butter

Directions

• Step 1 Cook on medium heat your Gizzards and Liver separately with just water, salt and pepper until very soft, this should take at least an hour. If you have a crock pot, cook gizzards only for 4 hours. Sieve Gizzards and set gizzard stock aside. (Add salt according to preference)
• Step 2 Add gizzards into food processor and blend finely to achieve the texture of ground beef. Repeat process for the liver as well.If you do not have a blender, you can chopped your meats very finely.
• Step 3 Cook rice until soft and set aside. Please do not cook rice soggy and mushy. In a small bowl, mix together 1 ½ salt, black pepper, cumin, sage, oregano, thyme, paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder combine properly and set aside.
• Step 4 Cut all vegetables and split in half.
• Step 5 Set saucepan on medium heat and add 4 tbsp of unsalted butter and heat butter until it melts. Now add the first half of your yellow onion, green bell pepper and scallions (white parts only). Stir ingredients together and saute for 10-11 minutes or until vegetables turns to a light brown color.
• Step 6 Add your ground meat and stir all ingredients together. Now add the other half of your yellow onion, bell pepper, celery and scallions (green parts)
• Step 7 saute for 1-2 minutes. Now add 1 tsp of salt and 1 and ½ tbsp of your mixed seasoning, stir all ingredients together and saute for 10- 11 minutes.
• Step 8 At this point you should have a toasted light brown meat mixture. Now add ½ cup of your gizzard stock and 2-3 tbsp of melted unsalted butter. You can substitute for chicken stock if you are not comfortable with gizzard stock. Saute for 5-8 minutes until all liquids have dried up. Now add another 1 and ½ tbsp of mixed seasoning, stir ingredients together and saute for another 3-4 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.
• Step 9 Add rice and properly mix together to make sure all parts of the rice is coated with meat. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Stir on heat for another 2-3 minutes and then turn off your heat. Allow rice to seat in pot covered for 20-25 minutes before serving, this will allow all seasoning to be soaked properly into the rice for maximum satisfaction.
• Step 10 Your Dirty Rice is Ready!!