Efo Riro – Yoruba Spinach Stew with Assorted Meats

⏱ 90 min · Serves 6

Rich, deeply flavoured and gloriously vibrant, this classic Yoruba stew layers tender assorted meats with a smoky pepper base and heaps of fresh spinach. It's the kind of pot that fills the whole kitchen with warmth and has everyone reaching for extra rice.

Per serving: 428 kcal · 38.0g protein · 9.0g carbs · 27.0g fat

Ingredients

• 500g beef (chuck or brisket), cut into bite-sized chunks
• 300g tripe (shaki), cleaned and cut into pieces
• 200g smoked dried fish (eja kika), soaked and flaked
• 150g stockfish (panla), soaked and broken into chunks
• 4 red bell peppers (tatashe)
• 3 scotch bonnet chillies (or to taste)
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped (half for blending, half sliced)
• 120ml red palm oil
• 2 tsp ground crayfish
• 2 beef stock cubes
• 1 tsp locust beans (iru/dawadawa), optional but traditional
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 600g fresh spinach (or callaloo), washed and roughly shredded
• 200ml beef stock or water

Method

1. Season the beef and tripe with 1 crumbled stock cube, half the sliced onion, and a pinch of salt. Add 200ml water, cover and cook on medium heat for 35–40 minutes until tender. Reserve the cooking stock and set the meats aside.
2. Meanwhile, blend the red bell peppers, scotch bonnets and roughly chopped half onion together until smooth. Do not add water.
3. Heat the palm oil in a large, wide pot over medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes until it loses its raw smell and turns a deep amber. Add the remaining sliced onion and fry for 2 minutes.
4. Pour in the blended pepper mixture. It will splutter, so stand back. Fry, stirring occasionally, for 20–25 minutes until the paste has reduced significantly, darkened in colour, and the oil floats freely to the top.
5. Add the locust beans (if using), ground crayfish, remaining crumbled stock cube, and salt. Stir and fry for a further 2 minutes.
6. Add the cooked beef, tripe, stockfish and smoked fish to the pot. Pour in the reserved meat stock. Stir well, taste and adjust seasoning. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes to marry the flavours.
7. Add the shredded spinach in batches, folding it through the stew. Cook for just 3–4 minutes until wilted but still vibrantly green — do not overcook it.
8. Taste for final seasoning, then serve hot with steamed white rice, eba (garri), or pounded yam.