The instances i caught the opposing sides of a city in the making.

Passport & Plate - Eba/Garri

Nigeria | Saturday, January 25, 2014 | 2 photos

Ingredients
1. Six (6) to Eight (8) cups of water
2. Four (4) cups of garri (roasted and grated cassava, this ingredient is the main one and could only be seen in West African region)

 

How to prepare this recipe
1. Put the water in a pot and boil to steam point
2. Lower the heat
3. Add or pour the garri (roasted and grated cassava) into the hot water by sprinkling it evenly till the garri fills the water.
4. Stir the mixture with a ladle until its consistent. Add more garri or more water to obtain the thickness you would like. Because garri is a little coarse, the resulting eba will be a little course, but if done properly, should not be lumpy.

It is ready to be eaten with any Nigerian soup.

 

The story behind this recipe
The story behind the recipe is unique. When I was about 10 years old, my mother did prepare this recipe and forced me to eat it. My siblings were not spared the agony too.

Later in life, i realized that i didn't really know how to "eat" eba. Eba would be very enjoyable if you would cut a small piece with your thumb, index and middle fingers. Roll the piece into ball shape using your palm and fingers and deep into a soup (Eguisi or Okra soup; any soup from anywhere in the world can be used)

So i learned how to eat eba and my days of dread was gone. Now i "swallow" eba with joy and thanked my mother for it .