What Is Garri?
Garri is a popular West African food made from cassava. It is one of the most common pantry staples in Nigeria and many other West African countries. Garri is affordable, filling, easy to store, and useful in many meals.
It can be made into eba, a swallow eaten with soup, or soaked in cold water and eaten as a quick meal or snack.
What Is Garri Made From?
Garri is made from cassava tubers. The cassava is peeled, washed, grated, fermented, pressed, sieved, and roasted into dry granules.
The result is a shelf-stable cassava product with a slightly sour, roasted flavor.
1. Eba
Eba is made by adding garri to hot water and stirring until it becomes a smooth, dough-like swallow. Eba is eaten with Nigerian soups such as:
- Egusi soup
- Ewedu soup
- Okra soup
- Ogbono soup
- Vegetable soup
- Afang soup
- Bitterleaf soup
2. Soaked Garri
Garri can also be soaked in cold water and eaten with sugar, milk, groundnuts, coconut, kuli-kuli, or ice. This is common as a quick, affordable meal or snack.
White Garri
White garri is made without palm oil. It is widely used for both eba and soaked garri.
Yellow Garri
Yellow garri is made with palm oil, which gives it a yellow color and richer flavor. It is popular for making eba.
Ijebu Garri
Ijebu garri is known for its sour taste and crunchy texture. Many people prefer it for soaking.
Ghana Garri
Ghana garri may be less sour and can have a slightly different texture. It is used for both eba and soaking.
Fine Garri
Fine garri has smaller granules and can make smoother eba.
Coarse Garri
Coarse garri has larger grains and is often preferred for drinking or soaking.
Where to Buy Garri
You can buy garri at:
- African grocery stores
- Nigerian grocery stores
- West African markets
- International grocery stores
- Online African food retailers
Search Terms to Use
- Garri near me
- Where to buy garri
- Nigerian grocery store near me
- African grocery store near me
- West African market near me
- Yellow garri near me
- Ijebu garri near me
How to Choose Good Garri
Check:
- Fresh smell
- Dry texture
- No moisture
- No mold
- Clean packaging
- Clear label
- Type of garri
- Expiration date if packaged
FAQ
Is garri the same as cassava flour? No. Garri and cassava flour both come from cassava, but they are processed differently. Garri is roasted into granules, while cassava flour is usually finer.
Which garri is best for eba? Yellow garri and fine white garri are popular for eba.
Which garri is best for soaking? Ijebu garri is popular for soaking because of its sour flavor and crunchy texture.
Where can I find garri near me? Search for African grocery stores, Nigerian grocery stores, or West African markets near you.