If you have ever wondered how to cook brown beans the way West African kitchens do, two dishes are the answer: akara and moin moin. Both start from the same humble pack of brown honey beans, and both turn it into something completely different — one crisp and golden, one silky and steamed. Here is how our customers across Dubai and the UAE make them at home, step by step.

What are brown honey beans (ewa oloyin)?

Brown honey beans — ewa oloyin in Yoruba — are a small brown cowpea prized across Nigeria and Ghana for their naturally sweet flavour and soft, creamy texture when cooked. They are the classic choice for everyday pots of beans, and the traditional base for akara and moin moin because they blend into a smooth, airy batter.

We stock authentic brown honey beans (ewa oloyin) in a generous pack, and for smaller households there is the newer Afro Brown Honey Beans 500g — a recent addition to our bean shelf that is exactly the amount one batch of moin moin needs.

Step one for both dishes: soak, peel, blend

However you plan to cook brown beans, the preparation is the same, and it is where most first attempts go wrong.

1. Soak briefly. Cover the beans with water for 15–30 minutes — just enough to loosen the skins. Soak too long and the beans absorb water and blend flat.
2. Peel. Rub handfuls of beans firmly between your palms (or pulse once or twice in a blender with plenty of water). The brown skins float — pour them off, top up, and repeat until you are left with cream-white beans.
3. Blend smooth. Blend the peeled beans with fresh ginger, onion and a little water into a thick, completely smooth paste. Use as little water as possible — a thick batter is the secret to both dishes.

How to make akara (bean fritters)

Akara are the beloved breakfast fritters of Nigeria and Ghana — crisp outside, fluffy inside, sold hot at street corners and made at home on weekend mornings. Per the cultural record on akara, versions of the fritter travelled with West Africans as far as Brazil, where it is known as acarajé.

• Whisk air into the batter. This is the step that makes akara fluffy. Beat the blended paste vigorously with a wooden spoon (or mixer) for 3–5 minutes until it lightens.
• Season last. Salt draws water out, so add salt, chopped onion and fresh chilli only just before frying.
• Fry in deep, hot oil. Drop the batter in spoonfuls into hot oil over medium heat. Fry 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden.

Serve akara hot with pap, custard or bread. Many of our Dubai customers pair them with soaked garri on a hot afternoon — the classic combination.

How to make moin moin (steamed bean pudding)

Moin moin is the same batter's gentler cousin: a savoury steamed pudding that comes out silky and sliceable. It is a staple at Nigerian parties and Sunday lunches alike.

• Enrich the batter. To the smooth paste, add blended red bell pepper (tatashe), scotch bonnet to taste, onion and seasoning. A spoon of red palm oil gives moin moin its warm orange colour and unmistakable aroma.
• Add the extras. Ground dried crayfish deepens the savoury flavour; boiled egg, flaked fish or corned beef are the classic fillings.
• Steam gently. Pour into ramekins, foil cups or heatproof bowls (in the UAE, ramekins stand in beautifully for the traditional uma leaves). Steam in a covered pot with a little water for 45–60 minutes until firm.

Moin moin keeps well, so make a full batch — it reheats perfectly for weekday lunches with rice or eba.

Stocking the akara & moin moin shelf in the UAE

Everything above comes from our West Africa collection — beans, palm oil, crayfish and garri, delivered across Dubai and the UAE with free next-day delivery on orders over AED 150. If beans are your starting point, the West Africa · Beans shelf gathers them in one place.

FAQ

Can I make akara or moin moin without peeling the beans?
You can, but the result is denser and darker. Peeling gives the smooth, pale batter both dishes are known for. The palm-rubbing method takes about ten minutes for a 500g batch.

What can I use instead of uma leaves for moin moin?
Ramekins, heatproof glass bowls, foil cups or even sturdy mugs all work. Grease them lightly, cover with foil, and steam as normal.

Where can I buy honey beans in Dubai?
Mekazon delivers authentic ewa oloyin honey beans across Dubai and the UAE — order online and they arrive at your door, with same-day options available.

Ready to cook? Start with a pack of honey beans from our West Africa collection and make akara this weekend — your kitchen will smell like home.

By the Mekazon Kitchen