Definitions starting with M

ID #3099

moi-moi

/mohy mohy/; mai-mai, mi-mi /may-may [cf. Krio maymoy Nigerian bean dish, from Yoruba moimoi idem KED; cf. also Ibo moimoi peeled, ground black-eyed peas boiled in leaves with crawfish (Okolo p.c.); cf. Yoruba móin-móin black-eyed peas mashed with onion, chili pepper, sardines or corned beef, egg, salt, then formed into a ball, wrapped in a leaf, and boiled (Oyedeji p.c.); the shift from /ohy/ to /ay/ (cf. HICE hoist) suggests that this word has been in the Bahamas since the 1700's]

n. a dish made out of mashed black-eyed peas boiled in leaves: 1976 The leaf of the almond was also used as a receptacle for certain foods... [such as] moi-moi's (Eneas 12). Mimi (or moi moi)... I still love these Yoruba dishes (ibid 43). 1977 Maimai does make out of split peas (Shilling 50). (Nassau)

Tags: food, noun, reduplication, vegetable

Related entries: -

Last update: 2010-11-13 19:46
Author: Holm and Shilling, DBE, 1982
Revision: 1.1

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