I'm gonna be sharing one of the most popular and affordable foods in Africa, Garri. This locally made granules is also believed to be a sure and quick saver of the intestines from hungry raging parasites like the tapeworm in our stomach. With garri, the poor or the rich cannot go hungry.
Garri is a product obtained from a plant called cassava plant, it is grown very well most especially here in the southern and Eastern part of Nigeria. I visited a remote area and found some children peeling the cassava, but I'm sorry I didn't get a clear picture of the cassava. When I inquired from them, they informed me that they were going to make garri out of the cassava.
The process of making garri is after harvesting the cassava from the soil, it is being peeled properly, washed, well grinded and then, the water from the grinded cassava is being pressed away, until it is dry and looking powderish, its special frying pan is then set on a proportion of heat, the garri is scooped into the pan and a very broad wooden spatula is used to fry the garri until it turns crunchy. Some people add palm oil while frying theirs which gives it a yellowish color, while some fry it just like that which gives it a white color. So, over here we have yellow and white garri.
To me, when I'm combining garri with soup or stew, I'll prefer the yellow garri, but when I'm sipping it ordinarily, I prefer white garri. But anyways both garri are delicious.
Some people may ask if garri has different tastes and I'll say yes, garri has very slight differences in its tastes, most times it is not even noticeable. Its tastes depends on the cassava Stem, where and how it is grown before processing. One of the places in Nigeria, well known for garri processing is Atam, in Cross River State.
The price of garri kicked high since 2008 over here and had since been fluctuating between the range of N50 to N100 a cup.
Here is a photo of how garri is measured and sold in the market. Some people buy in bags, some buy with the measurements of basin, custard rubbers, big tins and then small measuring cups. The small measuring cup is what is being used to sell garri at N50 now. I don't buy big tins so I may not know the actual price.
Garri is also very rich in carbohydrate which makes it a real energy giving food, despite the fact that it is naturally very filling in the body most especially when. A good amount is being taken in.
The delicacy above is actually the combination of fried groundnuts, sugar, mik and Garri. Everyone has their own ways of consuming Garri. This is what I took at my office during the day. After this combination, cold water is poured into the mixture which gives it a splendid taste in the mouth.
Apart from sipping garri with cold water, we bake garri by mixing the garri with boiled water with the help of a spatula, turning it into a soft mound for swallowing. Above is a photograph of garri and soup sent to me by my friend cos I didn't have a good photo of mine.
The soup in the photo used here is known as Afang soup and can be eaten with garri as shown here, I mean you cut the garri either with your bare hands or with a cutlery and according to the size you can swallow, attach a sized soup with it and there you go….yummy🍛🤸.
To crown it all this is my favorite food. Garri and afang soup.