Efo riro is a rich vegetable side dish that can accompany various starches and can be cooked with or without fish or meat. It is rich enough that the starches it accompanies - various pounded starches called fufu, fluffy steamed rice, boiled plantains or yams, to name a few - can come very much unadorned. While the leafy, hearty amaranth greens form the traditional base, mature spinach is a great substitute, and, though rare in Nigerian cuisine, collards or kale can also be used. It is crucial to blanch fresh greens and squeeze out as much liquid as possible before adding to the obe ata base of puréed tomatoes, peppers and onions. If using frozen greens, defrost ahead of time and repeat the squeezing process. The last thing you want to do is dilute all those incredible flavors you've spent time building.
Provided by Yewande Komolafe
Categories dinner, vegetables, main course, side dish
Time 1h
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Combine all the obe ata ingredients except the canola oil in a blender and purée on high until smooth, working in batches if needed. The liquid from the can of tomatoes should suffice, but you can add up to 1/4 cup of water if necessary to get the purée going. (You should have about 3 cups of purée.)
- Heat the canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Add the purée and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced by about a third of its original volume, 18 to 20 minutes. (It should make about 2 cups.)
- Meanwhile, if using fresh greens, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high and prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. (You can skip this blanching step if using frozen spinach.) Pick the leaves off the bunch of amaranth greens, if using, and discard the tough stems. Once the water is boiling, blanch the leaves until bright green and just tender, about 2 minutes. (You can work in batches if necessary.) Cool greens immediately by transferring to the ice bath using a slotted spoon.
- In a large, deep skillet or sauté pan, heat the canola oil over medium-high. Sauté the onion and bell pepper until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the dried crayfish, fermented locust beans and turmeric. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute, lowering the heat if necessary to avoid scorching.
- Stir in the obe ata and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and stir in the red palm oil. Cook for 1 more minute.
- Remove the greens from the ice bath and squeeze out as much water as you can. (You want the greens to be as dry as possible so you don't dilute the vibrant flavors of the sauce.) If using frozen greens, squeeze out any excess liquid before using.
- Add the greens to the skillet and stir to coat with the sauce. Gently stir in the flaked fish. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the greens and fish are warmed through, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love
Olleigh Young
[email protected]This dish was good, but it wasn't anything special.
Ian Moore
[email protected]I'm not sure why this recipe has such high ratings. I thought it was just average.
xomollyxo x
[email protected]This dish was just okay. I've had better.
Abukari Osman
[email protected]I would not recommend this recipe to anyone.
Niki
[email protected]This dish was a lot of work to make and it didn't turn out very good.
DOUBLE. SCRAPER
[email protected]I was disappointed with this recipe. The amaranth greens were tough and the sauce was bland.
SK Sanju
[email protected]This recipe was a bit too spicy for my taste. I think I'll reduce the amount of chili pepper next time.
powell owiti
[email protected]I'm not sure what I did wrong, but my efo riro turned out too bitter. I think I might have added too much spinach.
Meheshi Sadamali
[email protected]This dish is so versatile. You can add different vegetables or proteins to it to change up the flavor.
Nawaf Muneer
[email protected]I love the addition of locust beans in this recipe. It gives the dish a unique and delicious flavor.
Betthany Cole (NaturesSlave)
[email protected]This is a great recipe for a weeknight meal. It's quick and easy to make, and it's healthy too.
Brian Wang
[email protected]I made this dish for my family and they all gave it two thumbs up.
FadzaiShanane Madhlila
[email protected]This dish was a hit at my dinner party. Everyone loved it!
Nushan Arafat
[email protected]I'm not a big fan of amaranth greens, but I really enjoyed this dish. The flavors were well-balanced and the greens were cooked perfectly.
Eva Balangan
[email protected]This is one of my favorite Nigerian dishes. It's so flavorful and satisfying.
Fat Panda
[email protected]I've made this dish several times and it always turns out great. My family loves it!
Kalobe Rodriguez
[email protected]Efo riro is a delicious and nutritious dish that is easy to make. I love the combination of flavors and textures in this dish.