Cookbook:Efo Riro

Efo Riro
Cuisine	Efo riro
Recipe origin	Western Nigeria
Servings	6
Time	1 hr 40 minutes
Difficulty

Efo Riro is a popular Yoruba vegetable soup made with leafy vegetables, palm oil, peppers, and assorted meats or fish. It is commonly eaten with swallows such as amala, pounded yam, or eba.

Equipment

• Cooking pot (medium or large)
• Wooden spoon or cooking spatula
• Knife
• Cutting board
• Blender or grinding stone (for pepper mix)
• Bowl (for washing vegetables)
• Stove or heat source

Ingredients

• 2 bunches spinach or ugu (pumpkin leaves), chopped
• 500 g assorted meat (beef, goat meat, or chicken)
• 200 g stockfish, soaked
• 200 g dried fish, cleaned
• 1 cup palm oil
• 3–4 fresh red bell peppers (tatashe)
• 2–3 scotch bonnet peppers (ata rodo), to taste
• 1 medium onion
• 2 tablespoons ground crayfish
• 2 seasoning cubes
• Salt, to taste
• Ogiri (optional, for traditional flavor)

Procedure

1. Wash and cook the assorted meat with onion, seasoning cubes, and salt until tender.
2. Add stockfish and continue cooking until soft.
3. Blend the peppers and onion into a smooth or slightly coarse paste.
4. Heat palm oil in a pot (do not bleach).
5. Add the blended pepper mix and fry for about 10–15 minutes until it reduces and thickens.
6. Add the cooked meat, stockfish, dried fish, and meat stock.
7. Stir and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Add ground crayfish and ogiri if using.
9. Add chopped vegetables and stir gently.
10. Allow to cook for 3–5 minutes (do not overcook the vegetables).
11. Adjust seasoning with salt or seasoning cubes.
12. Remove from heat and serve hot.

Tips

• Do not overcook the vegetables to preserve color and nutrients.
• The pepper base should be well fried for rich flavor.
• Efo Riro is best served with amala, eba, or pounded yam.