Iru


 * For the acronym, see IRU.



Iru is a type of fermented locust beans used as a condiment in cooking. It is similar to ogiri and douchi. It is very popular among the Yoruba people of Nigeria. It is used in cooking soups like egusi soup and ogbono soup

It can be found fresh or dried. The fresh variety is usually wrapped in moimoi leaves, which are similar in appearance and texture to banana leaves. It has a pungent smell.

The dried variety is flattened into discs or cakes for sale. Although the dried iru isn't as strong-smelling as the fresh one again, if it is fried a little bit in some cooking oil (usually oil for cooking), a lot of the pungency and flavour is released. The dried variety stores very well in freezers.