Efo Riro

Name: Efo Riro
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: West African
Ingredients: 3 large Red Bell Peppers, tatashe, deseeded; 2 Scotch Bonnets, ata rodo; 1 medium Onion; 500g Beef, cut into bite-size pieces; 200g Tripe, shaki, cleaned; 200g Cow Skin, ponmo, pre-cooked and cut up; 150g Smoked Fish, deboned and flaked; 100g Stockfish, salt cod, soaked until soft and shredded; 120ml Palm Oil, 1/2 cup; 1 medium Onion, sliced; 2 tbsp Iru, locust beans; 2 tbsp Ground Crayfish; 500ml Beef Stock, 2 cups, from boiling the meat; 600g Spinach, fresh, or efo shoko, roughly chopped; 2 Bouillon Cubes; 1 1/4 tsp Salt, to taste

Efo Riro is a vibrant, deeply flavored Nigerian spinach stew loaded with tender beef, assorted offal and smoky fish, all cooked in a fragrant, spicy red pepper and palm oil base. It’s rich, savory and slightly spicy—perfect served over rice, pounded yam or fufu for a comforting, communal meal. This version balances meaty texture, umami from fermented locust beans and crayfish, and bright greens for a satisfying finish.

Efo Riro is a vibrant, deeply flavored Nigerian spinach stew loaded with tender beef, assorted offal and smoky fish, all cooked in... Show more

Traditional West African Recipe

Health Grade

S- · Outstanding

Rating

4.2

Time

1 hr30 min

Price

9,43 €

Calories

879 kcal

healthy

nutritious

meal prep

one pot

Method

Soak the stockfish

Rinse the stockfish well under cold water, then cover it with very hot water in a bowl. Let it soak for 30 to 45 minutes, until it softens enough to pull apart easily. Drain it and shred or break it into small bite-size pieces.

Blend the peppers

Stem and deseed the red bell peppers, trim the Scotch bonnet peppers, and peel both onions. Roughly chop the bell peppers, Scotch bonnets, and one onion, then blend them in a blender until mostly smooth. Add a very small splash of water only if the blender needs help moving.

Prep greens and fish

Pick through the smoked fish, removing any bones and tough skin, then flake it into large pieces. Wash the spinach thoroughly in several changes of water to get rid of any grit, drain it well, and roughly chop it. Slice the remaining onion thinly and set it aside for the stew base.

Simmer the proteins

Rinse the beef and tripe very well. If the cow skin is in large pieces, rinse it and cut it into bite-size strips. Put the beef and tripe into a pot with 1 crumbled bouillon cube, about 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and enough water to just cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the cow skin and the softened stockfish, then simmer for 15 minutes more, until the beef is tender and the tripe has softened. Measure out 2 cups of the cooking liquid as your beef stock, then keep the meats and stock close by.

Heat the palm oil

Set a large heavy pot over medium heat and warm the palm oil for 3 minutes until it loosens and smells slightly nutty. Do not let it smoke.

Cook the stew base

Add the sliced onion to the hot palm oil and cook, stirring often, for 4 to 5 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Stir in the iru and cook for 1 minute to wake up its flavor. Carefully pour in the pepper blend; it may splatter, so stand back and stir gently. Add the ground crayfish and the remaining bouillon cube, then cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the sauce thickens, the raw pepper smell disappears, and small beads of oil begin to show on top.

Add the proteins

Add the cooked beef, tripe, cow skin, stockfish, and smoked fish to the pot. Pour in the reserved beef stock a little at a time, stirring well, until the stew is thick but loose enough to move easily around the pot. Simmer for 10 minutes so the proteins absorb the sauce.

Wilt the spinach

Add the spinach in 2 to 3 batches, folding each batch into the sauce before adding the next. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the leaves are wilted, glossy, and still bright green. Taste and add more salt if needed; the finished efo riro should be rich and concentrated, with the greens fully coated rather than swimming in liquid.

Serve hot

Let the efo riro sit for 2 minutes off the heat so the flavors settle, then spoon it into a serving bowl. Serve hot with rice, boiled yam, plantain, or your favorite swallow.