Efo Riro (Yoruba Spinach Stew)
Local name: Ẹ̀fọ́ Rírò
In short: A thick Yoruba stew of tender spinach cooked in a fried tomato and pepper base with palm oil, beef and smoked fish, served with pounded yam. It takes about 1 h 40 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 1 h 15 min
- Total
- 1 h 40 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 355 kcal
Efo riro comes from the Yoruba kitchen of southwest Nigeria and is cooked for family meals and parties alike. Tender greens are squeezed dry, then stirred into a fried pepper base enriched with palm oil, locust beans, crayfish, beef and smoked fish. The stew should be thick and well coated, not soupy. It is eaten with pounded yam, eba or white rice.
Instructions
- Put the beef, chopped onion, bouillon cube, salt and water in a pot. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 40 minutes until tender. Keep the stock.
- Place the spinach in a colander and pour a kettle of boiling water over it. When cool enough to handle, squeeze out as much water as you can with your hands.
- Heat the palm oil in a wide pot over medium heat for 2 minutes. Fry the sliced onion for 3 minutes until soft.
- Add the pepper purée and cook for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until it has reduced to a thick paste and the oil floats on top.
- Stir in the crayfish, locust beans, the drained dried fish, the beef and 120 ml (1/2 cup) of the beef stock. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the squeezed spinach and fold it through. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes, until the greens are tender and the stew is thick. Taste and add salt if needed.
- Serve hot with pounded yam, eba or boiled white rice.
Tips
- Squeeze the blanched spinach firmly. Any water left in the leaves will thin the stew, and the finished dish should cling to the swallow.
- Traditional cooks add assorted meats such as tripe, cow skin (ponmo) or smoked turkey. Add them in step 1 and simmer until tender before continuing.
Questions and answers
What greens are used in efo riro?
In Nigeria cooks use efo tete (green amaranth) or shoko (celosia), and spinach is the common substitute abroad. Frozen spinach also works if you thaw it and squeeze it dry.
How is efo riro different from egusi soup?
Efo riro is a leafy stew built on a fried pepper base, while egusi soup is thickened with ground melon seeds. Both are eaten with swallows like pounded yam.
Can efo riro be frozen?
Yes, for up to 3 months. It may release some water as it thaws, so simmer it for a few minutes to thicken it again.
How long does it take to make Efo Riro (Yoruba Spinach Stew)?
About 1 h 40 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 1 h 15 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Efo Riro (Yoruba Spinach Stew)?
About 355 kcal per serving, with 26 g of protein, 10 g of carbohydrates and 24 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 355 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 26 g |
| Carbohydrates | 10 g |
| Fat | 24 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Sodium | 800 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
