Efo Riro

While the name translates to "spinach soup" in Yoruba, Efo Riro is traditionally made with either Efo Shoko (Lagos spinach) or Efo Tete (African spinach). In Western countries, bakers' spinach or kale are commonly used as accessible substitutes without altering the dish's fundamental profile.

The distinct umami flavor profile comes from the addition of iru, which is fermented African locust beans. Before adding it to the palm oil base, the beans are typically washed or crushed to mellow their pungent aroma and evenly distribute their savory notes.

Assorted meats are highly favored, typically combining beef, goat meat, and offal like tripe or ponmo (cow skin). Dried fish or stockfish are also essential ingredients used to build a deep, rich, and complex broth.

Efo Riro is primarily a vegetable-based soup thickened with leafy greens, whereas Egusi uses ground melon seeds as its primary thickener. While you can add greens to Egusi, it is fundamentally a seed-thickened soup unlike the palm-oil-rich Efo Riro.