Efo Riro – a vibrant Yoruba spinach stew bursting with peppers, locust beans, and
traditional seasoning.
Eforiro is a classic Yoruba vegetable soup/stew made with leafy greens, assorted
meats, palm oil, and pepper base. It’s hearty, deeply flavorful, and perfect with
swallow foods or rice.
Ingredients:
Vegetables:
- 6–8 cups of fresh spinach, efo shoko, or efo tete (thoroughly washed and chopped). Spinach is the most common substitute available outside Nigeria.
Proteins: 🥩
- 500 g of assorted meats (such as beef, tripe/shaki, or cow skin/kpomo)
- 1 cup of pre-soaked and deboned stockfish
- ½ cup of deboned smoked fish
- Optional: Dried prawns or crayfish for added flavor depth
Pepper Blend:
- Large red bell peppers (tatashe)
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 2–3 scotch bonnet peppers (ata rodo) (adjust to taste)
- 1 medium onion
Other Ingredients:
- 1 cup of palm oil
- 2 tablespoons of ground crayfish
- 1–2 seasoning cubes
- Salt to taste
- Meat stock (as needed)
🌶 PEPPER BLENDING
● Blend together red bell peppers, tomatoes, scotch bonnet, and onion until coarsely mixed. Avoid making it too smooth.
● Boil the blended mixture until excess water evaporates and it thickens. This step helps prevent a sour taste.
🔪 BASE COOKING
● Heat palm oil in a large pot over medium heat. Be careful not to bleach the oil.
● Once heated, add sliced onions and sauté briefly.
● Stir in the cooked pepper blend.
● Fry for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until oil begins to rise to the surface.
BUILDING THE FLAVOR 😋
● Add ground crayfish and mix well.
● Incorporate your choice of cooked meat, stockfish, smoked fish, and some reserved meat stock.
● Season with salt and seasoning cubes.
● Let it simmer for 5–7 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
ADDITION OF VEGETABLES 🍆🥦
● Gradually introduce chopped vegetables in batches.
● Gently stir to coat them with the stew.
● Cook for just 3–5 minutes.
⚠️ Caution: Overcooking will dull both the color and taste of the vegetables.
Final Adjustments! 🤗
● Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
● If the stew is too thick, add a little stock to reach your desired consistency.
● Once the vegetables are lightly wilted, turn off the heat.
🍽 SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Serve hot alongside swallows such as Pounded Yam, Amala, Eba, Semovita, or sometimes with white rice.
Enjoy your meal! 🎉
🔥 PREPARATION STEPS:
PROTEIN PREPARATION 🥩
● Thoroughly wash the assorted meats.
● Season with salt, seasoning cubes, and sliced onions.
● Cook until tender, gradually adding water as needed.
● Set the meats aside and reserve the cooking stock.
● If you're using stockfish, cook it separately until soft, then combine it with the meats.
VEGETABLE PREPARATION 🥦🍆
● Rinse the leafy vegetables thoroughly in plenty of water to remove any sand.
● Drain well and chop them finely.
● If blanching is necessary, do so for 3-5 seconds to help retain flavor and nutrients.