INTRODUCTION: Good day to my colleague on Steemit, it has been a long time. I received countless invitations from many of my colleagues and I am happy they did so even though I wasn’t chanced then to participate due to some reasons but I was able to comment on some posts. Here I am today to share the little I understand on the topics been discussed and make Steemit a better place. Do enjoy!

Prepare or Promote any Recipe that is Peculiar to your Country

A food which I believe is peculiar to my country and which I love so much is Efo riro. Not only am I going to promote it, but I also had it prepared. Efo riro is that one food I like so much ever since growing up and in fact, up till now, I cooks it freely.

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Images sources respectively: Image 1, Image 2, Image 3, Image 4

Are the pictures not even enticing? Of course they are.

Whenever I am at home, my mum or sister are always cautious of cooking it because they know it will finish that same day no matter the amount. My friends know that whenever we go to any eatery, it is the first dish I always ask for and whenever I wasn’t able to follow them, they get it for me. Not only is the dish delicious, it has many health benefits which I am going to mention as I proceed.

Due to my love for this food, I have different ways of cooking it just to make it taste different and for me not to get bored of it. I am going to share the procedures for cooking it and I will implore us to try it out.

Is there any history attached to it? Explain.

Well, the only history I know of about it is that, it is the native soup of the Yoruba people of western Nigeria.

Regarding if I can do without it, I am not sure I can do that or tell me, con you do without your best food? No right? same here.

The ingredient needed

Let me get started by listing all the ingredient needed, out of the ingredient listed below, some are very essential and without them, there is no Efo riro, while some are not.

Green vegetable:

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The vegetable I love to use is Fluted pumpkin leaves which is commonly know as Ugwu. The leaf has many health benefit from which I am going to mention some. Note, that this is required.

• Ugwu is a good source of dietary fiber which helps in the maintenance of the digestive system, it helps to prevents indigestion problems. Can you see Why I love it? Yes, you can.

• Ugwu helps to maintain one’s body tissues and this is a result of the vitamin C that is present in it.

• Ugwu is characterized with some powerful antioxidants like alkaloids, hydrocyanic acid, tannins, resins… that brings about a lot of immune system and anti-inflammatory benefits. I am sure science student or food lover are going to appreciate this better.

• Ugwu content includes polysaccharides and ethyl acetate which are very effective in lowering the blood sugar levels. In other word, Ugwu has anti-diabetic effect.

• Also, it is rich in calcium which the body needs for maintaining healthy bones and teeth, it is effective for weight loss and many more, I think this is already enough to get you enticed😇.

Pepper:

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This is also essential. Just as you can see in the image, I make sure the pepper is not completely grinded or roughly blended . I love it more when I make use of manual blender to blend the pepper and not the electric blender.

I make use of artificial red pepper commonly know as rodo pepper together with tomato pepper. If you like your soup to be spicy, you can make the rodo pepper a little bit more than the latter.

Onions:

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Images sources respectively: Image 1, Image 2

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I like and used onions a lot, not only for Efo riro but for some other delicacies. It also has a lot of health benefits like blood sugar regulations, reduction of cancer risk, bone health and many more which we can research on. Well, I am going to say this is required too.

Locust beans:

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This is essential too, it aids good sight, and help in tackling hypertension and diseases like stroke and diabetes.

Palm oil:

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This is required and it has numerous health benefits too.

• Other ingredient includes, Salt, Fish, Meat (I prefer fried one), seasonings, snail and crayfish, well this depends on how much I have with me though😆. Apart from salt and seasoning, the rest are not really required, but they really add to its sweetness.

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I believe we can see the packed health benefits of this my best food. Next is the procedure for preparing it.

Procedures

Well, with the little amount I have with me, I am going to prepare something delicious. So, let us get started with the procedures.

• The first thing to do is to get the leaf from the stalk and have it cut into chunks, after that, have it rinsed very well and put it aside for now.

• Next is to cut the onions and set it aside

• Next is to have the locust beans washed and set it aside too

• I already have the pepper blended roughly and set aside. You should do the same.

• If you have to use cold fish just like I am using, you should have it boiled with little quantity of water, salt and seasoning. If the soup will be serving you more than 25hrs, I will advice you to have the fish fried too just as you have done with the meat or snail.

• Next is to have the cow skin thoroughly washed and set aside.

After all this has been done, it is now time to start cooking and below is the way to go about it as seen below.

Step 1: Add palm oil to the pot you want to use and put the pot on fire.

Step 2: Add the already cut onions to it.

Step 3: Add the roughly blended pepper and then, the locust beans to it and then stir for a while for it to mixed up.

Step 4: Add the already washed cow skin, the fried snail, meat and fish and then stir for a while. Cover it for a little while.

Step 5: Add some salt and seasoning and while this is going on, pour a boiled water on the already washed vegetable to soften it. Make sure to squeeze out the water.

Step 6: Add the softened vegetable and then stir. Check if it is dry and if it, you can add little water. Make sure the water is little.

After everything has entered each other😆, you can take it off the fire and dish it out. Kudos! You have just made an Efo riro all by yourself. Enjoy!

This is how the vegetable looks like while still planted, we have it planted in our farm in my hometown but I am not at home I would have snapped it together with its seed which is what we planted.

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This is what I was able to make.

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Thank you for reading and I am sorry if those pictures are not clear, it is because I just got back home and it is already late but I have to do something even though I am a bit tired.

I am using this medium to invite @bolaji001, @olawole110 and @kennydavebobo to participate in this contest.