Amala, eba, semo: ranked by people who will fight you

Amala comes first. With ewedu and gbegiri — what Ibadan people call abula — it is not just food, it is an event. The colour scares visitors. The taste wins them over.

Eba is the everyday hero. It's quick, it fills you up, and it goes with any soup you throw at it. Yellow or white, both are valid.

Semo is smooth and easy. It's the swallow you give to someone trying it for the first time.

Pounded yam was disqualified for being too powerful. It would win every round, and that's not fair to the others.

Order any swallow with your soup at Òwàmbé and argue about it with your friends while you eat.