People have many different ways of making their efo riro. Any way you make it will still taste delicious, but I personally love to make it this way. follow my steps below for a quick and easy Efo Riro dish!
You can find the following ingredients in any local Nigerian store/market.
Ingredients Needed:
1 tin/Jar of chopped tomatoes (or 4 small fresh tomatoes if you prefer)
1 onion
1 scotch bonnet chili
2 large bunches of fresh spinach
Palm oil
Efo seasoning
salt
chili powder (optional)
Maggie stock cubes
chicken/Beef/Goat what ever u prefer
Yam or powdered Yam <<Not advisable, Real yam is always better
water
Directions:
Step 1 – Add your chicken/beef/goat meat to a large pot with water and 2 or 3 maggie stock cubes and a little salt. Allow to cook for 30 to 40 minutes.
Step 2 – Get a large pot or pan and add 3 table spoons of Palm oil. Now chop 1 onion into very small pieces along with your scotch bonnet, add the seeds too if you like it spicy!. Add your onion and chili to the oil and allow to fry for 5 minutes.
Step 3 – Now blend all you tomatoes/ chopped tomatoes together and add to your oil with 2/3 table spoons of Efo seasoning and 1 table spoon of chili powder (optional) and allow to cook for a further 5 minutes. Then wash your spinach through out. Chop your spinach up and wash again. Now add your spinach and cover the pot and allow to steam/cook for 15 minutes. (some people cook for 5 minuets but i personal like it well cooked as does my Yoruba Boyfriend) Add your chicken/meat to the soup when your chicken/meat is cooked through out.
Step 4 – Prepare your yam or potatoes
Fresh yam – If you are preparing fresh yam, I would advice you to:
Cut and dice your yam before preparing the soup, then boiled your yam in a pot.
When your yam is cooked and soft (you can check if it is ready by stabbing it with a fork to check if it is soft) put your yam pieces into you pestle and begin pounding.
Pound all the large peaces first and then pounded all the lumps out of it. (this can be tiring) hehe. Add water little by little to get the right texture. Its best to use the water you cooked your yam in as it has more starch!
Powdered Yam- Simply boil water, about 2 cups, in a pot and add the yam powder and mix through out, try to mix fast and press against the side of the pot to remove any lumps.
Set your yam by shaping it with your hands (wet your hand first)
Rap your yam in clingfilm to keep its shape and heat if you are not going to eat it right away.