GB (Glea-gbar), as it is commonly known in Liberia, is one of Liberia’s traditional foods made out of cassava. It is swallowed instead of chewed. It is widely known to be the favorite subsidiary food amongst the Gio and the Manor tribes from Nimba County. Originally, only these tribes consumed this kind of meal in Liberia, but today because of inter- relationships, other group of people, especially with in the city areas, are also found to like this meal.
Due to its carbohydrate nature when swallowed, it keeps you going strong for almost the whole day, in fact some people swallow and they are ok for the entire day.
GB can be swallowed with a variety of soups like pepper soup, palava (plato) sauce, palm butter, etc. These soups are usually prepared to be slippery in order to allow the GB knot to pass through the throat freely.
In Liberia, different tribes like other special kinds of food and they have their own unique ways of preparation as well. For example, the Gbandi and the Lorma tribes from Lofa County like “Torborgee”. Torborgee is a specially prepared soup with edible soda. It is mostly prepared with bean, bitter bud and pepper. You could say Torborgee is to the Lorma and the Gbandi as GB is to the Gio and the Manor tribes.
GB Preparation
You simply peel and boil the cassava, pound it very well in a mortar, roll it and have it dished out and with a prepared soup. GB is then ready to be swallowed.
Eye catch photo: GB