Recipe: Efo Riro (Sauced Spinach)

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Courtesy of Think-Talk

Ingredients:

Red Spinach. Credits: Greg Buchold on Pinterest

• 1 bunch Red Spinach (Can substitute with 2 bunches of Green Spinach)
• My Sauce
• Oil (prefer Palm, but can use any)
• Tomato Paste
• Onion
• Salt

Optional Ingredients:

• Ground Crayfish
• Fresh Shrimp
• Tripe (Boiled and cubed)
• Dried Fish or Stock Fish
• Beef Stock (Knorr or Maggi)
• Italian Seasoning

Cooking Instructions:

1. Get the Red Spinach off its stems.
2. Cut and pour in a saucepan
3. Add a tablespoon of salt
4. Boil a kettle of water and pour over the red spinach
5. Place aside for 5 minutes
6. Pour out the hot (now warm) water. (The water will be dark pink in color)
7. Rinse the red spinach with cold water a few times until water is almost clear.
8. Using a sieve, pour out the water and collect the red spinach onto the sieve
9. Squeeze out any remaining water and set aside.

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Steamed Red Spinach

10. Place your cooking pot on medium heat
11. Add the Palm Oil
12. Slice a 1/4 of the Onion
13. Add My Sauce
14. Add a teaspoon of Tomato Paste
15. Add a teaspoon of salt

(Add other optional ingredients as desired)

16. Cook for 10 minutes
17. Add the Red Spinach
18. Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Not too long ad spinach will begin to turn dark.

Your Efo Riro is ready.

Can be eaten alone as a side plate, small chop, or over Rice (Steamed, Jolof, or Fried), or better yet with okele (“solids” eaten with your hands; such as Pounded Yam, Farina, Fufu, Semolina, or Eba (cassava).

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Efo Riro w/ Farina

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Everyone is familiar with the Green Spinach, but Red Spinach is rare and can be found in Asian grocery stores. It is similar in texture and taste as the Nigerian Efo Shoko.

Health Benefits:

Red Spinach is a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, calcium and folic acid. [Credits to Specialty Produce]

Red Spinach contains nutrients such as protein, carbohydrate, amarantin, purine, rutin, and vitamin (A,B,C,K). For further information, click here for the complete nutrients. Other benefits for comparison can be found here.

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