Efo Riro a native delicacy of Western Nigeria. It is a rich vegetable soup that if prepared properly can give you the heart of the king. Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but we hope you got the message. Efo Riro is is a Yoruba version of Efik/Ibibio’s Edikang Ikong.

Ingredients for Efo Riro

Assorted meat and fish.  (use a combination of the following):

Beef

Shaki (cow tripe)

Smoked fish

Dry fish

Stock fish

20 cl Nosak Famili palm oil

500g Efo Shoko

5 Tatashe peppers

2 tablespoons ground crayfish

2 red onions

2 small stock cubes

2 tablespoons locust beans (iru)

Salt & Habanero / Scotch Bonnet peppers (to taste)

The following are the two vegetables that can be used in cooking Efo Riro. The first choice is Efo Shoko, the second is Efo Tete (Green Amaranth).  If these are not readily available where you live, leafy or frozen spinach is a very good substitute.

The more the variety of meats and fish you can add to Efo Riro, the better so feel free to add: snails and other offals, ponmo (cow skin) etc.

***The vegetables that can be used to cook this soup are Efo Shoko or Efo Tete (Green Amaranth). If these are not readily available where you live, leafy or frozen spinach is a very good substitute.

Preparation

If you are using the hard stock fish, soak it for a few hours. Soak the dry fish till soft and debone.

Cut the leafy vegetables

Deseed the tatashe and grind till coarse.

Prepare other ingredients: pound/blitz the pepper, dice the onions and grind the crayfish.

Cooking Directions

Start by steaming the shaki with as little water as possible as it is the toughest meat in the bunch. This soup should have as little water as possible so add small amounts of water at a time and top it up as you cook.

When the shaki starts to curl, add the dry fish and stockfish. When the shaki is almost done, add beef, stock cubes and some of the onions and cook till all the meat and fish are well done. Set these aside.

In another pot, pour the Nosak Famili palm oil and heat it up. Once hot, add the remaining onions. Fry the tatashe peppers till there’s no more water in it. This should take about 15 minutes. Add the locust beans, crayfish, and stir very well.

Add the cooked meat and fish, stir very well. Add the vegetables, stir very well, cover and once it heats up again, add salt to taste and take the pot off the stove.

Serve Efo Riro with Semolina, Amala, Pounded Yam or Eba. It also goes well with boiled white rice.