Description
Efo Riro is a delicious Nigerian spinach stew that combines assorted meats and spices for a flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups fresh spinach (Efo Tete) or frozen spinach
- 1 pound assorted meats (beef, shaki, ponmo)
- 1 cup smoked catfish
- 1 cup palm oil
- 2 red bell peppers (tatashe)
- 2 Scotch bonnets (ata rodo)
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 2 tablespoons iru (fermented locust beans)
- 2 tablespoons crayfish powder
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 inch ginger
- 2 seasoning cubes (like Knorr or Maggi)
- to taste salt
Instructions
- Wash your fresh spinach thoroughly, then blanch it in boiling water for about 2 minutes. Immediately drain and plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Once cooled, squeeze out as much water as you possibly can. If using frozen spinach, thaw it completely and squeeze out all excess water. Set aside.
- Boil your assorted beef until very tender. Season the water with onions, salt, and seasoning cubes. Once cooked, drain the meat, reserving about 1-2 cups of the stock.
- Soak your smoked fish in hot water for 10-15 minutes to soften and clean. Carefully debone and flake into pieces.
- Roughly blend the red bell peppers, Scotch bonnets, and a small onion until chunky. Do not over-blend into a smooth purée.
- Soak the iru briefly in warm water, then drain.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat your palm oil over medium heat. Be careful not to let it smoke excessively (bleaching).
- Add the sliced onions and sauté until translucent and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes.
- Pour in your blended pepper mix. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let this cook down thoroughly. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. This process can take 20-30 minutes, or even longer.
- Once the pepper mix is well-cooked, stir in the soaked iru, ground crayfish, seasoning cubes, and a pinch of salt. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the cooked assorted beef and flaked smoked fish to the pot. Pour in about 1 cup of the reserved beef stock. Stir everything together gently and let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
- Finally, add the well-squeezed spinach to the pot. Stir gently but thoroughly, just until the spinach is fully incorporated and heated through. This usually takes only 5-7 minutes.
- Taste the Efo Riro and adjust for salt and seasoning.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, allow the stew to simmer longer after adding the spinach.
- This dish pairs well with rice or amala.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Nigerian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 80mg