Eba (Garri Swallow)
Eba is cassava granules (garri) hydrated with boiling water into a firm, slightly sour dough. It is the everyday swallow of Nigerian homes — faster than pounded yam, sturdier than amala, and the reliable partner to egusi, okro, and ogbono.
- Time
- 10 min
- Serves
- 4
- Patience
- Gentle
- Occasion
- Everyday
Where this dish comes from
Garri is fermented cassava; yellow garri (with palm oil) is common in the southwest, white garri in the southeast. Eba belongs to every region but Igbo and Edo households often prefer it to pounded yam for weekday meals.
Swallow technique: same as all swallows — right hand only at communal meals, small ball, thumb dent, dip in soup, swallow without chewing. Eba holds soup well because it is firmer than pounded yam. Pair with egusi, okro soup, ogbono, onugbu (bitter leaf) soup, or nsala (white soup).
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) garri — yellow or white, to family preference
- 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) boiling water, plus more as needed
- Pinch of salt (optional)
The method
Step 1: Bring water to a rolling boil in a kettle or pot.
Step 2: Pour garri in a steady stream into the boiling water while stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon or spatula — roughly 2 parts garri to 2 1/2 parts water by volume, adjusted for garri brand.
Step 3: Keep stirring off heat until smooth and lump-free. If too stiff, sprinkle hot water and stir; if too soft, add garri gradually.
Step 4: Cover 2 minutes to steam, then stir once more. Shape into mounds on plates.
Step 5: Serve immediately with hot soup. Best pairings: egusi, okro, ogbono, vegetable soup.
Family notes ✎
- Some families stir garri into water; others pour water onto garri in a bowl — technique affects texture. Ask which is yours.
- Slightly sour white garri from Igbo markets tastes different from sweet yellow Lagos garri — note your source.
Substitutions
- Microwave method: mix garri and water in a bowl, microwave 2 minutes, stir — common in American dorm kitchens.
- Semovita follows similar stir logic if garri is unavailable — different swallow, document the swap.
On the calendarWeeknight dinner and the swallow that never misses.
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