Efo riro

Who grew up hearing things like Efo Elemi Marun, Efo elemimeje and the likes. I know I did lol! It is a funny but cool way Yorubas indicate how rich their vegetable dish is. 

Efo Elemi Marun in English means vegetable with 5 lives, while the Efo elemimeje refers to vegetable with 7 lives. By lives we are referring to the number of proteins contained in the dish. 

So understand where they are coming from guys! The proteins make all the difference where this dish is concerned. 

So what do you need to know about Efo Riro?

BRIEF HISTORY OF EFO RIRO

This rich native soup hails from the south western part of Nigeria. it is a green leafy vegetable meal that is stirred in rich pepper stock. Efo means green leafy vegetable while Riro means stir.

This dish, rich in nutrients by the way, is most times bombarded with proteins such as goat meat or beef, Ponmo (cow or goat skin), fish of different kinds( stock fish, Titus fish) , Shaki (fresh cow tripe/stomach) and the likes. 
This meal could be paired with any swallow of your choice including Eba, pounded yam and Semovita.

INGREDIENT LINE UP

Ingredients for Efo riro could be versatile depending on your taste bud preferences, choice of leaf and proteins. Cooking is about creativity, you could always make the meal yours. 

My list

• 200g Ugwu leaves (Water leaf)
• 1 tbsp Locust beans (Iru)
• 3/4 cup of Palm oil
• One small Onion
• One small tomato
• Bouillion cubes (for taste)
• One satchet Gino pepper onions paste
• Pepper mix (Tatashe (4 medium sized), Shombo (5 fingers) 2 tomatoes (optional, could skip it as it is not necessary) and 4 small scotch bonnet ; ata rodo, 2 Large onion bulbs) all roughly blended. 
• 100g Goat meat chunks/beef
• 100g Stock fish 
• One full Titus fish
• 100g Chicken gizzard
• 40g of Shaki
• 40g of Ponmo
• 40g of Liver
• 40g Round about
• 1 cup of Chicken stock
• One tsp of Crayfish seasoning

STEPS

1. We start by thoroughly cleaning our vegetable leaves or blanching as it is called by some. Guys you need to rinse them leaves well to get out particles and sand please. You don’t want to make a yummy dish that is sand filled. To do this well, pour some hot water on the leaves and discard immediately before rinsing/soaking in cold water for a little over 5 mins. 
2. After rinsing your leaves, get a clean pot because it’s time to bleach your palm oil. Please note that palm oil should only be bleached on low heat o biko, we don’t want to burn down the house in the name of cooking. 
3. While bleaching your oil, throw in some sliced onions and tomatoes along with your iru to amplify flavor
4. When your palm oil is well bleached, add in your tomato paste, followed by the blended pepper. Please note that it is important to dry out your pepper to reduce its water content before adding it into the blanched oil.
5. Next is the addition of our chicken stock,  After pouring in the chicken stock let the mixture cook for a few minutes 
6. It’s time to give your proteins their grand entrance, this version is the Elemi meje; seven  lives version so we are going in full force with beef, stock/ Titus fish, Ponmo, Chicken gizzard, Shaki, Liver, and round about. Please note that all proteins should be well cooked (ie boiled or fried before and cut into chunks when necessary before adding them in)
7. At this time, the aroma emanating from your kitchen should be out of this world
8. Don’t forget to add your bouillion cubes and crayfish seasoning.
9. The final item to add to this delicacy is your clean ugwu leaf (they don’t take long to cook) at most in 5-8 minutes, your Elemi meje vegetable should be ready!

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Bon Appetite