Efo Riro with Smoked Turkey and Assorted Peppers
Yoruba spinach stew built on a slow-cooked tomato-pepper base with shredded smoked turkey and crayfish.
Efo riro starts the same way most great Nigerian stews do: tomatoes, red bell pepper, and scotch bonnet blended and simmered down until the sauce loses its raw edge and turns deep and glossy. Shredded smoked turkey goes in next, its smokiness soaking into the sauce as it simmers.
Fresh spinach is added in batches at the very end, just long enough to wilt without losing its color or turning limp. The result is a stew that's vibrant green and red at once, spooned hot over a small portion of rice, plantain, or a favorite swallow.
Leaning on lean smoked turkey instead of fattier cuts keeps this a genuinely heart-healthy option, and the spinach brings a real dose of iron to the bowl, which many people find useful when they're paying closer attention to their iron intake. It's also naturally low in carbohydrates and high in protein.
Ingredients
- 500 g fresh spinach, washed and chopped — or frozen, thawed
- 300 g smoked turkey, skin removed, shredded
- 3 tomatoes, blended
- 2 red bell peppers, blended
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper, blended — to taste
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp ground crayfish
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- to taste salt
Most ingredients here are everyday market staples across West Africa. A handful of specialty items may be easiest to find at a local open-air market or an African grocery store if you're elsewhere.
Instructions
- 1Heat olive oil in a pot and sauté onion until translucent.
- 2Add the blended tomato-pepper mixture and cook uncovered for 15 minutes until reduced and no longer watery.
- 3Stir in the shredded smoked turkey and crayfish, and simmer for 8 minutes.
- 4Pour in the broth and bring to a simmer.
- 5Add the chopped spinach in batches, stirring until wilted, about 5 minutes.
- 6Season with salt, simmer 2 more minutes, and serve hot.