For hundreds of years, iru has been a staple condiment in a number of Nigerian dishes generally loved by the nation’s Yoruba and Edo individuals. Over time, different West African international locations have caught on to the ingredient’s wealthy umami style. Outdoors of Nigeria, iru goes by different names, together with netetou, kainda, and soumbala, all simple references to the fermented seeds of the African locust tree, botanically often called Parkia biglobosa. Its wealthy essence and complicated taste make it probably the greatest issues to ever occur to African delicacies.
My earliest reminiscence of meals is a definite mixture of aromas that includes burning charcoal, iru, and stockfish as my grandmother cooked open air in our hometown in Western Nigeria. My mom carried on this tradition of utilizing iru, and I’ll admit that it was not at all times my favourite—I discovered the odor too pungent and the style too sharp. However the whole lot modified with one dish specifically. Iru was the star ingredient in my mom’s efo riro, a standard Nigerian soup which incorporates shoko leaves (a leafy native vegetable akin to spinach) and bell peppers. The extra I ate it, the extra I fell in love with iru’s full-bodied taste, ever so current on this scrumptious meal. My mom’s signature dish impressed “Mummy’s Efo riro,” a recipe I shared in my cookbook.
Iru exists in two varieties, contemporary and dried, the previous of which is extra generally utilized in Nigeria and characterised by its pungent odor. The latter model is salted and dried to lengthen shelf life, then added to liquidy dishes or in any other case hydrated by soaking in scorching water for a couple of minutes to melt. No matter selection it is available in, iru is our secret for infusing soups, stews, and sauces with a lift of taste. Due to its punchy odor, iru might not appear instantly interesting, however the magic lies within the style. Its pungency is barely paying homage to cheese, whereas its thick texture is sort of just like that of chocolate. Its deep umami serves as a taste enhancer and provides an elusive richness to a variety of conventional dishes. The extremely versatile ingredient adapts simply to savory recipes however can even complement candy and starchy meals.
Moreover, iru is extremely nutritious, wealthy in wholesome fat, carbohydrates, protein, and calcium; Nigerians have lengthy thought-about it a key component in a healthful food regimen. For my current cookbook, I included it as a key flavoring element in a number of conventional Nigerian dishes akin to ofada—a spicy pepper sauce with succulent chunks of meat—and ewedu— a soup ready utilizing ewedu leaf, in any other case often called jute or molokhia. Listed here are some methods you’ll be able to attempt cooking with iru in your individual kitchen.
Season A Pot of Mummy’s Efo Riro.
Efo riro is a basic Nigerian soup, and my mom’s rendition options plenty of seasoned meat (both rooster, oxtail, or goat), in addition to shoko leaves, Scotch bonnet and bell peppers, and the signature trio of stockfish, dried crayfish, and palm oil that seems so typically in Nigerian cooking. Iru seals the dish by bringing collectively all of those flavors.
Add Iru to Spicy Soups and Stews.
The richness of iru pairs nicely with the warmth of chiles, so including a sprinkling to your spicy broths is at all times a fantastic thought. Attempt infusing soups and stews—from meat shares to, say, a spicy chowder—with the flavour of iru. Not solely will the beans deliver their very own complexity to the dish, they may also assist stability and heighten the accompanying flavors.
Use Iru as an Fragrant.
Sautéeing aromatics like garlic, ginger, or peppercorns? Toss in some iru at the beginning of the cooking course of. That is a simple and efficient option to introduce the ingredient into your cooking which permits its style to prominently infuse a dish—from stir fries to meat sauces or casseroles. The iru softens with the warmth from the pan whereas emitting an aroma that’s second to none.
Improve Vegetarian Meals With Iru’s Wealthy Taste.
The pungent taste of iru superbly offsets the starchiness of tubers like candy potatoes and yams, or of grain-based dishes like fried rice. Drizzle iru-infused sauces over them to introduce each moisture and complexity. My buddy Sia Alexander, an African artwork curator on the gallery Pure_Lagos, recommends iru for amping up vegan protein sources; when blended along with tofu, the dense texture of iru helps produce a tasty floor meat various. Or, when making ready sautéed greens like collards or kale, add a teaspoon of iru to spice them up with an extra-savory word. There may be a lot to attempt with this particular condiment, so don’t miss out!
Tola Akerele is the co-founder of Bogobiri House and creator of The Orishirishi Cookbook.
