Moi moi

Step 1: Peel 14 oz dried black-eyed beans: rub handfuls hard between your palms under the soaking water so the skins split, then swirl and pour the floating skins away. Repeat, adding fresh water, until almost every bean is white. A blender pulsed for two seconds with water can help crack stubborn skins.

Step 2: Rinse the peeled beans. Blend them with 2 red bell peppers (tatashe), 1 scotch bonnet chilli, 1 onion and about half of the ¾ cup warm vegetable stock to a completely smooth, thick purée, with no grit when rubbed between your fingers.

Step 3: Pour into a bowl and stir in ½ cup vegetable oil or red palm oil, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 ½ tsp salt and as much of the remaining ¾ cup warm vegetable stock as needed for a thick batter that falls from a spoon in ribbons. A common mistake is adding all the liquid at once: a thin batter steams into a watery, crumbly moi moi.

Step 4: Grease 6–8 ramekins or heatproof cups well and fill each two-thirds full. Cover each tightly with greased foil.

Step 5: Stand them on a folded cloth or trivet in a large pot and pour in boiling water to come halfway up their sides. Cover and steam over a medium-low heat, topping up with boiling water, until set.

Step 6: Test one: a knife pushed into the centre should come out clean and the top should feel firm, not wobbly. Steam for 10 minutes more if not.

Step 7: Rest for 5 minutes, then run a knife round the edge and turn out. Serve warm with jollof, or chill and keep for 3 days; reheat by steaming.