ÃÂmàlàis a staple okele or swallow food originating from and popularized by the Yoruba ethnic group of southwestern Nigeria and other parts of Yorubaland. It is made of yam, cassava flour, or unripe plantain flour. Tubers of yams are peeled, sliced, cleaned, dried and then ground into flour. It is also called èlùbá»ÂÃÂ. Yams are white in colour but turn brown when dried which gives àmàlàits colour. It is a popular side dish served with ewédú and gbẹÃÂgìrì (black-eyed beans soup), but it is also served with a variety of other á»Âbè (soups), such as ẹÃÂfá»ÂÃÂ, ilá, and ogbono.
There are three types of àmàlà: àmàlàisu, àmàlàláfún, and amala ògèdè.
ÃÂmÃÂ lÃÂ isu, the most common type of ÃÂ mÃÂ lÃÂ , is yam-based. The particular yam species best for preparing ÃÂ mÃÂ lÃÂ is Dioscorea cayenensis (Ikoro) because of its high starch content. Because of its perishability, yam is often dried and made into flour. ÃÂmÃÂ lÃÂ isu is made of dried yam. This gives it a black/brownish colour when added to boiling water. Amala is rich in carbohydrates and is an important source of carbohydrate, especially in the yam zone of West Africa.
ÃÂmàlàláfún is made from cassava flour. Dried cassava flour is known as lafun.
Another type of amala is elubo ogede, which is usually lighter in color. The low carbohydrate level in plantain flour makes it suitable for diabetics. Unripe plantain is peeled, dried, and grated into boiling water, creating a light brown paste when cooked.
ÃÂmÃÂ lÃÂ can be eaten with various soups: