Nigeria – Efo Riro
by Mimi Joseph
Efo Riro is a Yoruba tribe term meaning “stirring green leaves”, ego stands for “to stir” and Riro stands for “green leaves”. Edo shook and Ego tete are the widely used greens for the recipe. Yoruba tribe is found in Nigeria.
Nigeria is a west African country sharing land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in the north.
Cooking this cuisine require some preparation and experience, it normally looks like “to stir greens” but big NO, there tastes to add.
Shaki taste must be included; beef, peppers, smoke fish, crayfish, palm oil, they all add it a flavor. Locust beans are also the not to forget ingredient.
In Yoruba land you may even get snails and shrimps included. I promise once you taste this dish, you won’t forgive yourself to cook it daily.
Let us make this Yoruba taste from Nigeria, welcome.
Ingredients
- Beef Shaki (cow tripe)
- Smoked fish
- 3 bunches of Efo Shoko
- 3 peppers
- 2 tablespoons crayfish
- 2 red onions
- 2 small stock cubes
- palm oil
- Salt
- Habanero
Cooking steps
- Wash and cut the Efo Shoko vegetables.
- Chop onions and grind peppers. Also piece beef Shaki.
- Boil up Shaki, make sure you add water as much as small at a time, keep boil it while adding water as each time it nearly dried. The boiling may take around 30-40 minutes.
- Once shaki starts to curl, add stock fish. Also keep adding some onions and stock cubes. Many Yoruba will prefer beef and dry fish, but nowadays many people don’t prefer dry fish, you may add pieces beef.
- Once they get ready cooked, put off heat and aside.
- Fry remained onions using palm oil in another pan.
- Mix up locust beans and crayfish, then add them into the pan, stir well.
- Mix up with the cooked Shaki and fish together. After 5 minutes add the greens, stir and leave to boil for 10 minutes.
- Add the seasonings as peppers and salt. Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
- Once done, serve it warm.
Enjoy this meal with family and friends.
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