Type of cassava garri

Types of Cassava Garri:

 

There are different types of gari, depending on how it is processed, its grain size and the region of Africa where it is produced.

 

The Standards Organization of Nigeria classifies gari into:

 

Extra Fine Grain Gari - where more than 80% of the grain passes through a sieve of less than 350 micro meter aperture

Fine Grain Gari - More than 80 % of the grains pass through a sieve of less than 1000 micro meter aperture

Coarse Grain gari - Not less than 80% of grains passes through a seive of 1400 micro meter or less than 20 % of weight passes through a seive of 1000 micro meterExtra Coarse Grain Gari - Not less than 20 % of grain is retained on a sieve of 1400 micro meter aperture.

 

You can choose any of the above texture size to meet the specific need you want to put your garri to. Generally, for making eba, the fine grain or coarse grain gari are usually okay, and the extra coarse grain garri for soaking.

 

Garri can also be classified based on fermentation length (days and extent) as well as whether palm oil is added to make it yellow or not. Such classifications includes:

 

Red Gari

This is the type of gari commonly found in the Mid-Western part of Nigeria. It is also called Bendel garri. It is made exactly the way described above, but for the addition of red palm oil after grating the cassava and the gari is allowed to ferment for two to three days also. Adding palm oil to the gari further helps to reduce the cyanide content and gives it a unique flavour.

 

White Gari

Same as Bendel gari, left to ferment for two to three days as well, but red palm oil is not added during processing.

 

Ljebu Gari

Ljebu gari is made same way too, but allowed to ferment for up to seven days. No palm oil is added. It is also fried to become much crisped. It characteristically has a very sharp taste and less starchy. Many people from the Western part of Nigeria love this and find it great for “soaking”.

 

Ghana Gari

Ghana garri as the name implies is garri made in Ghana. Again the process is basically the same. The harvested and peeled cassava is soaked in water first. This step is skipped when making gari in Nigeria as above. After grating the peeled and soaked cassava, this is then sun dried, before frying it in a pot to cook it crisp.

 

Ghana gari thus comes out quite starchy, very crisp, and lasts very long in storage. No palm oil is added. It is very good in making eba.