There are solid meals ‘swallow’ which most Nigerians can’t be caught eating.
Swallow in Nigeria refers to foods that you do not usually chew, but swallow in molds and eat with soup, stew, or sauce. There are many kinds of swallows in Nigeria including the likes of Eba, Pounded yam, Semo, etc.
Among these, there are some swallows that some Nigerians won’t be caught dead eating. Here are the three probably most hated swallows in Nigeria;
1) Starch
Starch is a swallow popular among the Urhobos and Ijaws in South-South Nigeria. It is enjoyed with the native soups – Banga or Owo. Starch is made from cassava and it is the same starch people use on their clothes after washing, to make them hold and have a pressed appearance for a longer time.
Some people cannot accept that the same thing they apply to their clothes should be eaten and that is why they can’t touch starch with a ten-foot pole.
2) Amala
Some people believe amala is the king of swallows, others think it should be banned from Nigeria. Popular among this set of people are some Yoruba’s who have eaten amala all their lives while growing up and then there are those who just look at amala servings on social media and feel disgusted.
3) Semo
Semo is a type of swallow in Nigeria that is whitish in colour and has high energy content. It is popular for many to say the phrase – Semo is trash. Many Nigerians believe this popular swallow actually belongs in the waste bin while some say, semo is pounded yam wannabe.
And you can’t blame them because semo might look like poundo but doesn’t have that poundo consistency. It is however safe to say some hate semo because they don’t know how to prepare it properly.
Semo is one of those meals you prepare with prayers every step of the way just like you do when making pap, just so it doesn’t come out bad.
How many of these swallows do you eat?
