Irú (Yoruba) or Dawadawa (Hausa) or Eware (Edo) or Sumbala (Bambara) or Narghi (Fula) is a type of fermented and processed locust beans (Parkia biglobosa) used as a condiment in cooking.[1] It is similar to ogiri and douchi. It is popular throughout West African cuisine. It is used in cooking traditional soups like egusi soup, okro soup (ILA), Ewedu soup, and ogbono soup.[2]
The fabrication process involves boiling, cleaning and then packing away to ferment. This fermentation process gives it a pungent smell. Salt can be added to the finished product to facilitate storage life.
This condiment is traditionally sold in balls or patties that can be kept for several months at a time in the case of the best quality.
Yorubans make two types of Irú:
During fermentation, the reducing sugar content increases, and the total free amino acid content initially decreases; in the end, however, there is a large increase in free amino acid content.[3]
Names and variants in several different languages of the region include: