Gari foto: West African polenta

esterday I was rummaging the shelves of an ethnic grocer in West Norwood. Some object to using the word 'ethnic' but how else can you describe a store that carries Indian, Middle Eastern, African and Caribbean food. I call this kind of shops "serendipity outlets": they always have something amazing in store for you.

This time a bag saying GARI on it caught my eye. It turned out to be a sort of cassava cereal. How could I resist the temptation!



The recipe is very simple:

1. Moisten 2 cups of gari with half a cup of water. Let it sit in the bowl.
2. Peel and chop 2 onions. Fry them in a pot until soft.
   
3. Add 2 peeled and chopped tomatoes and 1 tbsp tomato paste. Add some salt. Fry a few more minutes.
   
4. Fold the moistened gari into the mix until its pink colour and turn the heat off.

Voilà, here's gari foto for you! The colour of a gentle sunrise, in West Africa it is common breakfast dish.