Swallow is a term coined for Nigerian solid meals that are taken with soups and ingested by “Swallowing”. They are naturally thick, elastic and easily malleable with a dough-like consistency once prepared. They are mostly starchy solids and make up most of the Nigerian main course meals when accompanied with soups. To eat, just roll a small quantity with your hand, dip into any soup and swallow….As easy as ABC.
Garri || Eba
This is often referred to as the king of swallows. Garri is made from cassava tubers which have been peeled, washed and ground. This is then left to ferment for a few days to soften the roots, and help to reduce potentially toxic carcinogenic compounds contained within.
Once the fermentation time is up, it’s fried to remove the moisture. There are two types of garri; The yellow garri which is fried with palm oil & the white garri which is fried without palm oil. To prepare garri for soup, all you need to do is to add hot water and mix to form a stiff dough. This can now be served with any Nigerian Soup
Pounded Yam (Click here to learn how to prepare Pounded yam)
Pounded yam is prepared from white yam. The brown skin of the raw yam is sliced off with a knife and the white inner part is boiled till soft. This is then pounded till it’s smooth, firm but elastic with a dough-like consistency. Once the desired result has been achieved, it can now be served with any Nigerian soup.
Fufu (western nigeria)|| Akpu(eastern nigeria)
Fufu or Akpu is made from fermented wet paste of cassava. Just like garri above, this is done by soaking the cassava for a few days. This helps to soften the roots as well as reduce potentially toxic carcinogenic compounds contained within. Once its fermentation period is complete, it is then boiled till soft and pounded till it’s smooth, firm and elastic with a dough-like consistency and can now be served with any Nigerian soup. The unique thing about fufu/akpu is the smell which can literally wake up a dead fly (although the smell from akpu is more effective).
Amala is made from the brown skin of yam which has been washed, soaked till day break, dried and ground to a smooth powder. Sometimes, it’s also made from the inner part of young yam which has been dried and ground to powdered ….Continued HERE
Tuwo shinkafa is made from local rice and sometimes rice flour (the fastest way). Usually, the rice is boiled till soft and then mashed till smooth in the pot. It is mostly popular in the northern parts of Nigeria and usually served with Northern Nigerian soups such as Miyan Kuka, Miyan Taushe etc.
Wheat meal – Tuwon Alkama (Northern Nigeria) (Click here to learn how to prepare wheat meal)
As the name implies, wheat meal is made from ground whole wheat flour. To prepare for consumption with soup, wheat meal flour is stirred into boiling water mixed vigorously to form a stiff elastic dough without lumps. This can now be served with any Nigerian soup. wheat meal is mostly popular with diabetics and those on a weight loss diet
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Nni oka (Maize and cassava meal)
Nni oka is made from a mixture of maize and cassava flour. Although corn flour may be used alone without mixing it with cassava flour, the real nni oka is usually mixed with cassava. To prepare for consumption with soup, the maize and cassava flour is stirred into boiling water mixed vigorously to form a stiff elastic dough without lumps. It is mostly popular in the eastern parts of Nigeria and usually served with Nigerian soups such as Ogbono Soup, Okra soup e.t.c
Tuwo masara (Corn meal)
Tuwo masara is made from Corn meal. To prepare for consumption with soup, the corn meal is stirred into boiling water mixed vigorously to form a stiff elastic dough without lumps. It is mostly popular in the Northern parts of Nigeria.
Starch (Usi) (Click here to learn how to prepare starch)
Starch (Usi) is made from wet cassava starch and it’s usually sold caked up (just the way Pap is sold).
Semovita || Semolina
Semolina is made from milled durum wheat. To prepare for consumption with soup, the flour is stirred into boiling water mixed vigorously to form a stiff elastic dough without lumps.
Plantain Dough Meal “Swallow”
Plantain flour swallow is made from unripe plantain. It’s one of the most popular swallows taken by diabetics due to its high protein content. It can be prepared with fresh plantain or plantain flour. To prepare for consumption with using the flour for soup, the flour is stirred into boiling water mixed vigorously to form a stiff elastic dough without lumps
Plantain flour swallow is made from unripe plantain. It’s one of the most popular swallows taken by diabetics due to its high protein content. It can be prepared with fresh plantain or plantain flour. To prepare for consumption with using the flour for soup, the flour is stirred into boiling water mixed vigorously to form a stiff elastic dough without lumps
Edible pounded cocoyam (Red cocoyam) with wheat meal
This is not the average common Nigerian swallow but a combination of Red cocoyam (pounded) with wheat meal.
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