Efo Riro
Efo Riro is one of the defining stews of the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria, where 'efo' means leafy vegetables and 'riro' refers to the technique of vigorous stirring throughout cooking. Unlike many thicker Nigerian stews built on large quantities of oil, Efo Riro emphasizes the balance between fresh greens and the intense base of peppers, palm oil, and dried seafood. In Yoruba households, the way Efo Riro is cooked says a lot about the woman preparing it — the exact color of the palm oil, the texture of the ground peppers, and the precise moment the spinach is added are details carefully passed down from mothers to daughters. Traditionally served at festive and Sunday meals alongside yam, rice, or corn porridge, Efo Riro remains a dish that binds multiple generations of the same family around the same pot.
Thick red pepper base
Scotch bonnet chilies, sweet red bell peppers, and tomatoes are ground together, forming the intensely colored base of the stew.
Finely chopped leafy greens
Finely shredded spinach or ugu (fluted pumpkin leaves) go in near the end, keeping their vibrant green color.
Smoked fish and dried crayfish
Deboned smoked fish and dried crayfish melt into the sauce, adding an umami depth typical of Yoruba cooking.
Red palm oil
Cold-pressed red palm oil colors the whole stew a deep orange and gives it a distinctive, slightly sweet aroma.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 500 g fresh spinach, chopped
- 4 scotch bonnet chilies
- 3 sweet red bell peppers
- 3 tomatoes
- 150 ml red palm oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 150 g deboned smoked fish
- 50 g dried crayfish
- Salt to taste
How to make it
- 1The scotch bonnet chilies, sweet red bell peppers, and tomatoes are coarsely ground together, producing a thick, slightly grainy red mixture.
- 2Red palm oil is heated well in a large pot, until it takes on a translucent golden color.
- 3The chopped onion sautés in the oil for a few minutes, until translucent and fragrant.
- 4The ground pepper and tomato mixture is added over the onion and simmers over medium heat for twenty minutes, stirring often, until it reduces and thickens.
- 5The deboned smoked fish, broken into pieces, and dried crayfish are added to the sauce, letting everything simmer another ten minutes so the flavors meld.
- 6The chopped spinach is washed well and added in the final five minutes of cooking, stirring gently to combine without wilting too much.
- 7The stew is seasoned with salt to taste, and the heat is turned to low for another two minutes, just enough for the spinach to remain a deep green.
- 8Efo Riro is served hot, alongside boiled yam, rice, or corn porridge.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
