Swallows

Eba or garri is a Nigerian staple food consisting of cassava flour combined with hot water. The combination is traditionally mixed with a large wooden spoon until it firms up, and is then rolled into a ball. Eba is served with almost all ... READ MORE

This unique, polenta-like side dish is a Tanzanian favorite, traditionally served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Made by rolling a tiny bit of creamy, thick cornmeal paste (made from cooked white maize) in a hand until it forms into a ball, and ... READ MORE

Fufu is a staple side dish made by pounding cassava and unripe plantains together with a big wooden pole and mashing them while adding water. As it needs to be vigorously stirred, it usually takes two people to make it - one pounding it, and the o... READ MORE

Known as funge or funje in Angola and Ghana, and mfundi in Democratic Republic of the Congo and Republic of the Congo, it is an essential side dish accompanying breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals in many households of ru... READ MORE

Nshima is a staple food in Zambia – a very thick and smooth swallow made from ground maize. It is quite similar to the Kenyan ugali and the Zimbabwean sadza. Nshima is always consumed with soups, sauces, or stews, known as ... READ MORE

Banku is a Ghanaian dish made from fermented corn and cassava dough. It is usually shaped into a ball and served with a variety of fish dishes, soups, and stews. Banku is consumed by almost all Ghanaian tribes, and can be traced back to the tribes... READ MORE

Genfo or ga'at is a simple Ethiopian and Eritrean porridge that is commonly consumed for breakfast, made by adding dry-roasted barley flour or wheat flour to boiling water and stirring the concoction with a woode... READ MORE

Tuwo shinkafa is a unique Nigerian dish consisting of rice flour or soft, short-grained rice and water. The combination of those ingredients is cooked, mashed, and formed into large balls. It is popular throughout the northern parts of the country... READ MORE

Dumboy is the national dish of Liberia. In order to prepare it, fresh cassava is peeled and boiled, while the fibers from the center are removed. The cooked roots are placed in a big mortar and beaten with a heavy pestle, then shaped into balls. T... READ MORE

Plakali is a traditional and Ivorian dish characterized by its starchy and sticky texture. It is made by steaming and pounding cassava roots. The dish might often taste sour due to the fermentation of cassava roots before cooking. Plakali is usual... READ MORE

Tuo zaafi is a Northern Ghanaian dish made by cooking a combination of maize or millet flour and water. In the Hausa language, tuo means stirred, and zaafi means hot. Sticky, starchy, and full of carbohydrates, ... READ MORE

Akple is a unique Ghanaian dish consisting of corn flour, cassava flour, water, and salt. The combination of these ingredients is usually rolled into a ball and left to ferment. The dish was invented by the Ewe tribe and is traditionally consumed ... READ MORE

Kokonte is a swallow that is popular throughout Ghana and Togo, usually consisting of pounded, dried cassava or yam, water, and salt. After the dish is cooked, it ranges in color from light brown to black, depending on how the cassava was dried. S... READ MORE

Nigerian Amala is a traditional swallow food made from yam flour (elubo), plantain flour, or cassava flour. It is a soft, stretchy dough-like staple that is typically served alongside a variety of Nigerian soups and stews, such as ewedu (jute leav... READ MORE

Sadza is a traditional swallow originating from Zimbabwe, consisting of cornmeal and water. The name sadza means meal, and, in accordance, it can be served at any time of the day, whether for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The corn... READ MORE