Three creative ways to use garri in making food

Garri is the most popular food in Nigeria. There’s hardly a household where you will not find garri lying around in the cupboard. It is widely regarded as a poor man’s food, but that has to do with how cheap and readily available it is to the common man.

Plus, it is a staple that requires no fuss before consumption. There are different variations of how to make garri. Some prefer to soak and drink and be done with it, while others make eba and soup for swallowing.

White, yellow, and ijebu garri are three kinds you would find in a Nigerian market place. Generally, garri is made from processed cassava.

Below are three variations of garri you should try:

1. Garri cake

Ingredients

• 1⅓ cups garri
• 1 cup sugar (granulated)
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 100g butter
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cups whole liquid milk

       Directions

• Before anything, make sure the garri is a fine one. If it is not, blend it till it’s smooth.
• Preheat your oven to 350 F, then grease a baking dish of your choice. Let the grease be generously distributed.
• Combine the garri, flour, and baking powder very well in a large ball. Put it aside.
• Cream together the sugar and butter using a mixer or food processor. Beat the eggs in and then add in the vanilla.
• After adding the flour mix to the creamed mixture and mixing well, stir in milk until batter is smooth. Then spoon into prepared pan.
• Put in the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. You’d know if the cake is done through the inserted toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean then it’s done. Bring the cake out of the oven and let it cool.

2. Buttered fried garri with tilapia

Ingredients 

• 1 cup garri (soured ijebu garri)
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1½ seasoning cube (chicken)

       Directions

• Pour your garri into a bowl and add ¼ cup of water. Turn until flaky paste forms.
• Heat your frying pan before adding butter and seasoning.
• Add your flaky garri and stir fry for about 2 minutes.
• Serve with tilapia

       Directions for tilapia

• Season the tilapia with ground pepper, onion, yaji, or even suya pepper. But first, you must wash the tilapia.
• After the fish has marinaded for at least 15 minutes, roast in oven and brown in the oven grill (Charcoal grill, preferably). Shouldn’t be more than 20 minutes in the oven.

• Serve fish with buttered garri and some chopped tomatoes and onion and peppers.

3. Garri fried chicken

Ingredients

• Ijebu garri
• Chicken, fish, prawns
• Cameroon pepper
• Eggs
• Uziza powder
• Onions
• Red chilli
• Stock cubes
• Salt
• Oil
• Ginger

       Directions

• Marinade your proteins with Cameroon pepper, salt, one teaspoon ground uziza, and stock cube. Then add a little oil, grated ginger, onions, and red chilli (chopped). Leave in the fridge for thirty minutes.
• Pour your garri in a bowl. Sprinkle Cameroon pepper, salt, and uziza powder. Set up a bowl of beaten eggs.
• Set up your oil. It should be enough to deep fry.
• Take your proteins out from the fridge. Dip one by one in the beaten eggs. Enough until it’s dripping. Then dip in garri until totally covered and then fry.

Conclusion

There you have it. It is quite a versatile food and serves as a great side for many dishes.

This article was first published on AfricaParent.com