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Variously called soup, stew or sauce, efo riro is prepared with three major ingredients. They are the Nigerian spinach which the Yoruba call efo shoko or efo tete (green amaranth), fermented locust bean and palm oil. Fermented locust bean is a traditional condiment that adds a wonderfully unique flavour to the soup. A well-prepared pot of efo riro is thick; it is, therefore, important for the meat stock to have very little water. Palm oil, which is the base for this soup, can either be heated or bleached. Tomatoes is also an optional addition to this soup. It is also worthy of mention that a well-prepared pot of this soup is fresh; the spinach is not overcooked. This way, the consumer enjoys it and benefits from its nutritive value. Efo riro is the Yoruba version of edikang ikong soup. Like edikang ikong, this soup is loaded with all manner of orishirishi. However, the difference between the two soups lies in the ingredients used. While efo riro is prepared with spinach, edikang ikong soup is prepared with a combination of pumpkin and water leaves. Also, while the former is prepared with tatashe, shombo and fermented locust bean, these ingredients are not used in cooking edikang ikong soup.
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Efo riro is one spinach recipe that should be on everyone’s menu. Meat lovers enjoy this soup like kilode. But it can also be adapted to appeal to vegetarians without losing its rich depth of flavour either way. This soup can be served with steamed rice or boiled yam. It can also be enjoyed with amala, fufu, pounded yam or any swallow of choice. References Chef Lola’s Kitchen Nigerian Food TV 9ja Foodie Featured Image Source: Low Carb Africa
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