Efo Riro Recipe

Season and Brown Beef

Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and brown on all sides, about 6–8 minutes per batch. Remove browned beef and set aside.

Simmer Beef

Return all browned beef to the pot. Add 400 ml beef stock (reserve 100 ml), 1 crushed bouillon cube, and the whole onion (peeled and left whole or halved). Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover and cook until beef is tender, 45–60 minutes. Alternatively, pressure cook for 25–30 minutes. Remove onion once beef is tender and shred or discard.

Add Smoked Proteins

If using smoked turkey, stockfish, or shrimp, add them to the pot for the last 10 minutes of simmering to warm through and allow flavors to meld. Remove and set aside with the beef.

While the beef cooks, prepare the pepper-roasted pepper paste. Roast the two red bell peppers over a gas flame, under a broiler, or on a hot dry skillet until skins blister and blacken. Transfer to a covered bowl or a plastic bag for 10 minutes to steam, then peel off skins, remove seeds, and roughly chop.

In a blender, combine the peeled roasted red peppers, 1 scotch bonnet (remove seeds for less heat), and the remaining half onion (roughly chopped). Blend to a coarse purée. Do not overblend — you want a slightly textured paste. If the blender needs liquid, add 2 tablespoons of the reserved 100 ml stock.

In a large deep skillet or the cleaned pot, heat 120 ml palm oil over medium heat until just shimmering but not smoking. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the blended pepper-onion paste in a thin stream while stirring to avoid splattering. Fry the paste, stirring frequently, for 10–15 minutes until it loses its raw smell and the oil begins to separate (you’ll see oil pooling at the edges).

Add 2 tablespoons ground crayfish and the remaining bouillon cube (crushed). Stir and fry for 2–3 minutes to toast the crayfish briefly.

Add the browned beef and any smoked proteins back into the pot with the pepper base. Pour the reserved 100 ml beef stock and additional water if needed to reach desired stew thickness (about 100–200 ml more for a saucier stew). Stir to combine and simmer for 8–10 minutes so flavors meld.

If using fresh spinach: wash thoroughly, remove large stems, then roughly chop. Add the chopped spinach in batches to the simmering stew, stirring and allowing each batch to wilt before adding more. If using frozen spinach, thaw and squeeze out excess water, then add to the pot. Stir well to combine.

Season the stew with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste), remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon seasoning powder if using. Simmer gently for 6–8 minutes until the spinach is thoroughly cooked but still bright green. If using prawns, add them now and cook 3–4 minutes until just opaque.

Taste and adjust seasoning. If the stew tastes too oily, simmer uncovered a few minutes to evaporate excess liquid. Finish with 1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice if desired to brighten flavors.

Spoon Efo Riro into a serving bowl. Serve hot with boiled rice, pounded yam, fufu, garri (eba), or amala. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for 2–3 days and reheat gently over low heat.