· 2 min read
Swallow is the name for the soft, dough-like sides eaten with Nigerian soups. The main kinds, what they’re made from and how they taste.
If you order a soup at a Nigerian restaurant, you’ll be asked which swallow you want with it. Here’s what that means.
Why it’s called swallow
Swallow is the Nigerian English name for a group of soft, starchy sides, made by cooking or pounding a starch into a smooth dough. You eat it with your fingers, using a small piece to scoop up soup. Because it’s soft, you don’t chew it much before you swallow it, which is where the name comes from.
The three swallows at K’s Spice
Our main dishes come with your choice of three:
- Pounded yam: boiled yam pounded until smooth and stretchy. White, soft and mild. See our guide to pounded yam.
- Eba: made from garri (dried, fermented cassava grains) stirred into hot water. Yellow or white, firm, with a slightly sour taste.
- Amala: made from yam flour. Dark brown, soft and smooth, with an earthy taste.
Our guide to eba and amala explains those two in more detail. You can also order any of them as an extra.
Which should I choose?
- New to swallow? Pounded yam is the mildest and the easiest to like.
- Having gbegiri and ewedu? Amala is the traditional choice.
- Want something lighter-tasting and a little sour? Try eba.
There’s no wrong answer. Any swallow goes with any soup.
Other swallows
Nigeria has others, such as fufu (from fermented cassava) and semovita. They aren’t on our current menu.
How to eat it
Our guide on how to eat swallow walks you through it step by step.
Hungry?
See what’s on our menu, book a table at 13 Pier Road, or order for collection or delivery.