Sunday is Father’s day and this dish is sooooo daddy centric, I wish I could transport it right to Lagos and serve him dinner. Shortly after med school, while I was interning at a hospital in Abuja, my dad had a stroke scare that freaked all of us out. That day is forever ingrained in my head as one of the worst days of my life. The phone call no child ever wants to receive and it forever changed my perception of him. As a young girl, he was infallible, the one who was always strong, my hero, our support and strength, the refuge of our family. He was never ill a day in his life and we took his health for granted despite his advancing years. After that harrowing incident, his diet and work pattern had to change drastically and he fought us on it. It didn’t help that I lived far away and as the eldest, I wasn’t around to back mumsie up. Lord knows we have stubbornness in common. I remember that was the first time I had ever screamed back at him because he was refusing to listen, wanting to brush the incident off as a minor thing, just so all of us wouldn’t worry and watch over him like a hawk.
Part of his diet changes was to reduce his protein, salt, sugar and oil intake. No mean feat, because those four items describe his favourite meals. Palm oil was off the table, out the window went meat, eba (garri), starch and pounded yam were thrown out too so we had to find creative ways to feed him. When I started getting requests for healthy recipes, I simply flashed back to making daddy’s meals so today I am bringing you one of them a little amplified. It is only amplified because I have listed some ingredients that I used, which I couldn’t find readily in Lagos. Nevertheless, this is a great dish regardless, so don’t sweat about not having some of the ingredients.
So if you have parents whose diet need to be modified, or you are on a diet yourself or on a journey to eating healthier, this will really work for you. You can still enjoy your taste of 9ja without having to feel like you are “eating grass like goat”, lol. Efo riro is a delicacy from Yoruba land and it is prepared with lots of palm oil, different cuts of meat, smoked fish, crayfish, pepper and the likes. This is Efo Riro de-constructed. Out with the “offending” ingredients, and replaced with healthy stuff which still taste great. While the taste may be different, the experience of eating is the same. Here is to you daddy, the best father any girl can ever wish for. Happy Fathers day in advance.
You will need
1 bunch of Spinach – in local markets this is called Efo Tete or Green
1/2 of a red onion
1 green chilli – in local markets you can purchase shombo or buy from the mallams who sell vegetables
2 firm tomatoes
1 ata rodo – scotch bonnet/habanero pepper
1 large clove of garlic
1 small broken stalk of ginger
Curry Powder
Dried Thyme
Cayenne pepper – dry pepper
Garlic salt – optional
Onion granules – optional
200g Chunky pieces of fish: I used Cod – you can use 1/4 to 1/2 cut pieces of 1 whole fish. Make sure it is not an oily fish like catfish/titus, this is a healthy meal
4 scallops – you can substitute with fresh prawns or crabs
Olive oil
Salt
Seasoning cube – knorr chicken cubes preferred
How To
1. Marinade the fish with a sprinkling of curry, thyme, cayenne pepper, 1/2 of 1 knorr chicken cube (you can use a whole one if you want), onion granules/powder, garlic salt, and a teaspoon of Olive oil. Dooney’s Kitchen Tip: to make healthy meals more palatable, it has to be seasoned properly. Oil, and salt are great flavour enhancers, so if you are reducing the quantity you cook with, you have to amp up your spices to compensate. Place in the fridge to marinade while you chop the other ingredients.
2. Chop all the ingredients except the fish and/or seafood components. Dooney’s Kitchen Tip: always make sure you chop the garlic and ginger a little finer than the other ingredients. No one wants to bite into a chunk of garlic or ginger
Chop the spinach finely
3. Heat up a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan, add all the chopped ingredients to the pan and sprinkle over half a seasoning cube.
Sauté the vegetables in the pan for 2 minutes
4. Lower the heat, add the marinaded fish to the pan and stir gently. Let this cook for 2 – 3 minutes and watch the fish turn from pink to a lovely shade of white. You may need to move it around gently with a wooden spoon to equally transfer the heat.
Dooney’s Kitchen Tip: unlike my other recipes where i advocate searing the fish. This time, you wont do that because you want the fish to release its juices into the pan which will also season and cook the vegetables. At no point should you be tempted to add water. Just remember, use low heat and you will be fine.
5. When the fish has cooked, you will be left with a thick mix of fish and vegetables. Thick is what you want. The spinach will soon change the consistency, you’ll see. Add the spinach to the pan and gently stir to combine. Dooney’s Kitchen Tip: gently stir, so you don’t break apart the fish.
Spinach cooks very fast. You only need a minute or two maximum. It is one of those vegetables that you definitely do not want to over cook. Stir around to combine.
As soon as you notice that the colour of the vegetables have changed to dark green and the juice has been released into the pan, you are done.
……….and that’s it. Simple and easy right?
Tell me this doesn’t look like Efo riro. If you have always been cooking with spinach because it is the only accessible vegetable where you live and you are getting bored of it, well I have just resurrected it for you. If you have foreign friends/family, you will like to cook something Nigerian for, here’s your answer. They will loooooove this, trust me.
Serve with healthy sides such as boiled potatoes, brown rice, wheat bread – who said diets have to be bland and boring?
My stars of the show – Scallops and Cod
After plating and taking pictures, I ate the rest of it, straight from the pan. Lol
Oh Dunni. You are doing a wonderful job indeed. My mouth is watering terribly. Infact I’m trying it out tonight. Hopefully, I don’t mess it up. Cheers. Ihy
Lol. Thanks Ihy. you wont mess it up, it is pretty simple and you will enjoy it, trust me.
Hi, I found mysef coming back again & again. You are doing a great job. You evoked the need to start food experimentation in me!!!
Thanks Bukola, I hope you find joy and lots of delicious goodness from your experimentation. Thank you for coming back. Please remember to like Dooney’s Kitchen on Facebook
Hi Dunni. thanks alot for this recipe, we sure would try it. God bless you
Great, please let me know how it turns out
hi dunni i ve 2 questions , what is d local name for green chilli i dont understand what u mean by green chilli also what kind of fish is cod is it d local cote fish? Lastly am still waiting for my peppered chicken receipe o lol
dear dunni u ve nt answered my questions na. What is the local name for green chilli and cod fish. And when will my reciepe on peppered chicken come
Ah, sorry Ije your comment went straight to the spam folder. Shombo is the local name for chilli. It is long and thin. On my beans and corn porridge post you will see the picture of the red chilli. On my calamari and prawn stir fry there is a picture of the green chilli. Here is the link http://dooneyskitchen.com/2013/06/14/calamari-and-prawn-indomie-noodle-stir-fry-a-party-in-your-mouth/
If you can’t find it in local markets simply use green rodo. As for the cod – use crocker fish. Cut your cocker fish as normal – head, tail and middle. Cut the middle pieces into four. I hope that helps
Hi Ijei,here is the link to peppered chicken http://dooneyskitchen.com/2013/06/17/irresistible-assorted-peppered-meats/
hi, in the process of frying d tomatoes n oda ingredients will u nt add water? also can cote fish be used or titus
Hi medua. Do not be tempted to add water, just lower the heat, trust me you will be fine. From the pcitures, you can see that I did not add water. The spinach will provide all the water that you will need
also d peppered i was expecting is d type u eat in mr biggs naaaaaaaaaa
Sorry, I don’t understand your comment.
sorry i mean peppered chicken.is it possible to get the type eaten in mr biggs i so love their peppered chicken that i wish i can make
at home
I’m not sure what their peppered chicken looks like. The only thing I can remember about Mr Biggs’s chicken is that it is dark and spicy, and this is because the chicken is grilled barbecue style. If that is what you want, you can use my recipe for spice rub and then grill at home barbecue style. unfortunately I don’t have the barbecue grill at home. I hope that helps
also in place of cod fish cant cote or titus fish be used bcos of my hubby.thanks
My personal preference will be crocker fish. Titus is a little fatty and because this is a healthy meal, it will defeat the purpose. if that is what yur husband enjoys, by all means use cote or titus fish
Thank you Dunni. Spinach, turnip, collard green are the only veggies here (no African store) Indeed u resurrected it for my family. Thank you once again.
Aaaaaw, thanks. You will never look at spinach the same way again. Where do you live, I could put a post up on the facebook page, and fellow readers could point out where you can find an African store
Wait o Dunni, u mean you are a medical doctor ?
Lol, no o. I have a Bachelors in Physiotherapy. One of those courses you fill in JAMB form when you are a naive 16 year old. Lol.
I’ve read your posts a few times here and on facebook… never cooked anything. THIS ONE I will def try. I’ve been wanting to make efo, but first, I didn’t want palm oil and second, I didn’t want to have to go to the African store to buy anything. All problems solved. I’ll be making this in the very near future. A word on fatty fish, though… it’s not all bad for you. Fatty fish contains omega 3, which is actually good for your heart. All in moderation, of course. This link has some details:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/omega-3/HB00087
Thanks Isa for the tip
Made this today! Super delish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I threw in some kale in for some texture too. I’ll be on the lookout for other scrumptious, low fat/low carb recipes. Thanksssssss!!!!!!!
You are welcome Isa
Just saw this recipe! Dunni is Kale same as Soko?
Hi Ivory, no it isn’t.
Hi Dunni, I always enjoy ur post. I have a question, why didnt u first blanch the spinach
I didn’t need to because I wanted all the cooking process to start in the pan. If you blanch it in a bowl, that defeats the purpose
Ok. Thanks a lot. Wld try it soon
Great. Please let me know how it goes
Hi, thanks for this great recipes. I have a question why does the marinated fish go in the fridge? Is there something that cold air does to it?
Cold air makes the spices penetrate the fish better
Oh! Dunni, u are too much. Thanks for this great job u are doing. God will continue to inspire u in Jesus’ name. I’m a first timer on Dooney’s kitchen and u have already won my heart. I’m going to try efo riro deconstructed and get back to u. E ku ise. u are really making Nigerians proud.
Amen and Amen. Welcome to Dooney’s Kitchen Folasade, I hope you will be a long time visitor. I will be awaiting your feedback. Well done
Hi Dunni, I found your blog through Instagram and I must say you just made my day. I am Yoruba and I moved to Germany from the UK a year ago and it’s not been easy finding ingredients to make my favourite Naija dishes. This spin on efo riri looks so nice and easy to prepare. With ingredients that can be found in any supermarket. Will be trying it tonight. Perhaps I can change my husband’s opinion on Nigerian dishes (he’s German and not too keen on our assorted meats, palm oil etc). Hope to find other easy to prepare recipes on your blog. Thanks. Off to the supermarket (smiling…).
Aaaaw, I loved reading this comment Abby. I hope it turned out well