MOIN MOIN

I honestly don't know who owns this food. Some people say it belongs to the Yorubas, some say the Igbos. But the Moin Moin when done right is really delicious. I must warn you if you are prone to heart burns though. Well, heart burns or not, I like this food, especially when you enjoy it with Ogi (akamu) or soaked gari with sugar...mmmmm!

INGREDIENTS ----------- QUANTITIES

Dehulled beans ----------- 2 cups
Shrimps or Crayfish ----------- 1 cup
Onion (sliced)----------- 1 medium size
Tatashe(blended)----------- 4 big sizes
Tomatoes(blended)----------- 6 medium size
Fresh pepper(blended)----------- 2 medium size
Vegetable Cooking oil ----------- 1/4 cup
Maggi/knorr cubes ----------- 2
Water ----------- 1&1/2 cups
Salt ----------- to taste
Shredded Dry Fish(optional)----------- 1 whole fish
Boiled Eggs, sliced (optional) ----------- 3


METHOD

Blend the dehulled beans in a blender or in a local mill and set aside,
Heat the vegetable oil for 2 minutes
Add the onions, tomatoes, tatashe, fresh pepper and shrimps
Fry for 10 minutes, stirring continuosly at intervals and set aside
Add the sauce to the blended beans
Pour in water and blend till fine.
Dissolve Maggi or Knorr cubes in a little hot water(this helps to melt the cubes properly) and add to the mixture.
Add salt to taste.
Mix properly
Prepare foil wraps, or small plastic plates with covers
Using a scoop, wrap the mixture in small portions or scoop mixture into the small plates.
Optional: add the shredded fish into each portion, or the slices of boiled eggs
Place on a raised pot base. Steam till firm (about 40 minutes). make sure the pot doesn't go dry, so that means you have to keep checking to add a little water for steaming.
Serve with vegetables, Ogi (akamu) or soaked gari with sugar and mmmmmm!

HOW TO COOK OHA /ORA SOUP

Oha soup is delicious...! It's one of my favorite dishes (when cooked right). It's one of the main soups you'll find in Abia state, one of the Igbo speaking parts of Nigeria. The trademark of this soup that gets me is the shredding of the Oha leaves with your hands. careful, they can stain the fingers.... but with the taste that follows, do you really mind?
Enjoy this one and lemme know how it turned out.

OHA /ORA SOUP

INGREDIENTS ------- QUANTITIES

Oha/Ora Leaves ------- 1 medium bunch
Dried Meat or Fresh meat ------- 10 medium pieces
Smoked Fish ------- 1 medium size
Stock Fish ------- 3 medium pieces
Oporo/shrimps ------- 1 Cup
Crayfish (ground)------ half cup
Ogiri ------- 1 wrap
Achi ------- 2 tablespoon
Dry pepper (ground) ------- 1 tablespoon
Palm Oil ------- 1 cooking spoon
Water ------- 2 litres
Maggi / Knorr cubes -------- 2
Salt ------- To taste

METHOD
Boil the stockfish till soft
Add plam oil
If using dried meat, soak the dried meat in boiling water for 6 minutes, then wash thoroughly to remove sand and burn smell, and if using fresh meat, have it already seasoned and boiled along with the stockfish
Boil two litres of water
Add the stockfish and the meat
Wash the smoked fish and add
Wash the Oporo
Grind the Achi and dissolve in cold water thoroughly and add to the soup. Stir.
Add the Oporo, dry pepper, Ogiri, ground Crayfish, Maggi/Knorr cubes
Stir thoroughly and reduce the heat
Pick wash and cut the Oha leaves with your fingers
Add to the soup and salt to taste. Simmer for about 10 minutes
Serve with cassava fufu