Cassava flakes of life….(Garri)

If i hear you are Nigerian and you don’t know Garri, Theeeeeeeeen PAUSE! and think Again….in English it is called cassava flakes but popularly known as Garri  (one of my teachers used to call it Garion), It is the most popular food in Nigeria,  Familiar to the Rich, Poor  and  middle class, We all take it but the way we take it might just be different….

Garri is made from cassava, (i guess that’s why it’s called cassava flakes), “winks”. Cassava tubers are peeled, washed and grated or crushed to produce a mash. The mash is placed in a porous bag and weights are placed on the bag for one to two days or more to press excess water and starch out. By day three, the cassava will lose a good amount of a water and become dry enough for the next step. It is then sieved (or sifted) and fried in an extra large clay frying pot with or without palm oil. The resulting dry granular garri can be stored for long periods.You could also take it in a moulded form (i.e Eba)  as well, but that is another day’s story….

It comes Handy, when You are tired and you don’t want to cook, when you run out of provision in school or at home,When the weather is hot and you want it with that chilled cold water or sometimes when the weather is even cold (And you no send),(And my favourite part), when you see Hot moi moi or Akara, Fried or smoked fish or meat (hmmm…i hope you are not salivating!), Most people take it with Groundnut or kuli kuli…… I take mine most times with sugar,Milk and G/nuts….

How do you take yours????