- TYPES OF GARRI
- STORAGE
- SEASON
- DIFFERENCES
- MEASURING UNIT
- COST
Between being called a food or a snack, garri remains a favourite for most people in Nigeria.
And you obviously seem to be one of the lucky ones.
So if your plan is to soak it, use it for eba, lay it on your beans or any other use case you can come up with , here are the things you need to know about which garri would be the best to serve your needs.
Need I remind you that most of these I didn’t know myself.
It took talking and research to get the right information.
And it starts by knowing what type of garri you want.
Because when you get to the market, there are different types of garri flakes to serve your needs.
And all of them have their own unique super power which I would list out soon.
This magic (grainy) powder is made from cassava.
Types of Garri
It is peeled, grated and then grinded. After which it is held between a presser to squeeze the water out.
This last process is a big decider in how the garri comes out.
The moisture content of the flakes is determined by the duration the wet cassava is left to dry up for, this determines how dry the end product will be.
The drier the garri is, the higher its sour taste.
The specie of the cassava planted is hardly considered when it comes to differences as they all seem to produce similar taste regardless of the tuber source.
And talking of types of garri in the market, we have
- Ijebu garri
- Ondo garri
- Oyo garri
- cotonou garri
- Lebu garri
- Yellow garri ( garri ibo)
- Ijebu garri is the easiet to identify.
It has a unique crisp, sour taste as a result of its dryness.
The reason for this is that it is left to dry for a longer period compared to the other types of garri.
No overnight production.
This method makes it stand out among the others making it very good for drinking.
- Ondo garri /Oyo garri/ Cotonou garri – This type of garri is good for both drinking and making eba, however it is not as dry or as sour as Ijebu garri. The cotonou garri has semi fine grains with a very attractive clean look but it’s not as as sour as the ijebu garri.
- Lebu Garri which is known for its smoothness.
The grains are very fine making it unsuitable for drinking but suitable for making swallow (eba).
- Yellow Garri also known as garri Ibo .
It stands apart for its yellow colour even though it is made with the same cassava tuber as the others.
What makes it break the colour code is self imposed and not natural.
The producers of this garri mix palm oil with it during production, which gives it the yellow tone.
It is not processed to the level of dryness of the other types of white garri . This makes it very starchy and go for “drawy/ stretchy” eba.
Because of how the yellow garri is processed, it loses its colour and spoils quicker than the other types of garri .
It is mostly consumed by ibo people, who love it to enjoy it with various soups.
Storage of Garri
How do you store garri at home to make it last long?
You place it in a container.
An air-tight, properly closed container.
It could be plastic or iron, the most important bit is that it should prevent external factors such as insects, air and water from being in direct contact with the garri. In cases, where garri is purchased and stored in sacks; do not store the sacks directly on the bare ground or too close to the wall. Instead, layer the inside of the sack with a nylon before pouring in the garri ,place the sack on a wooden slab and position it not too close to the wall.
Except you are selling, feeding a large family or having a huge party, you might not want to buy a full sack of garri.
But not to worry, there are Lower sizes that would fit into your needs and financial budget
This includes the derica, paint bucket, half paint and garawa.
And just in case you have other ideas, the market has your back.
Ijebu and cotonou garri take the lead as being the most expensive .
People love it and allow it maintain the throne.
The other types of garri have similar pricing.