Nigerian Moyin-Moyin

Ingredients:

550 g dried black-eyed peas (cowpeas)

1 tbsp dried shrimp powder

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

Salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

1 chilli pepper, finely chopped

Cayenne pepper or red chilli powder, to taste

Any of the following can be added, to make a total of 200 g:

Cooked prawns, chopped

Cooked carrots, finely chopped

Cooked peas

Green or red bell pepper

Hard-boiled egg

Dried salt or smoked fish

Dried shrimp or prawns

Canned sardines

Left-over cooked meat, cut into small pieces

Dried or smoked meat, cut into small pieces

Cooking Instructions:

Wash the black-eyed peas under running water. Place in a large pot and cover with boiling water. Allow to soak over night. The following day, rub between your hands to remove the skins. Rinse to wash away the skins then drain in a colander. Mash the black-eyed peas into a thick paste then slowly add just enough water to form a smooth, thick, paste. Add 1 tbsp oil and beat with a whisk. In a separate container combine all the remaining ingredients, crush them with the back of a spoon then stir together until thoroughly mixed. Add all the other ingredients to the black-eyed peas and stir to make a smooth paste. Grease a muffin tin and scoop the mixture into the individual wells, making sure the wells are no more than 3/4 full. Place the pans in a baking dish partly-filled with water then bake at 170�C for about half an hour. Check to see whether the moyin-moyin are done by inserting a pick in the centre and seeing if it emerges clean. When done, take out of the oven, allow to cool and tip out onto a wire rack. Serve warm as an accompaniment to a main course.

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