Fufu

Pounded starch dish made from cassava and eaten with soups, originates from Ghana.

Fufu (pounded yam or cassava) is a food dish which first came from West Africa, but is enjoyed by many people across the world. Its taste somewhat resembles that of mashed potatoes with butter.[1][2] It is common in Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, Cote D'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Benin, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, Angola, and Gabon. [3]

Making fufu
A Plate of Pounded Yam

The main ingredient for fufu is boiled cassava, plantains, and yams. In Ghana, Ivory Coast and Liberia, they separately mix and mash equal portions of boiled cassava with green plantain or cocoyam. Its thickness is then adjusted to personal preference, and it is eaten with broth-like soups. In Nigeria, fufu is made jusst from fermented cassava giving it its unique thickness compared to that found in other west African countries. It is eaten with a variety of soups with vegetables and lots of beef and fish.[4] Other flours, such as semolina, maize flour, or mashed plantains, may take the place of cassava flour. Families in rural areas with access to farmland still maintain the original recipe of using cassava. Fufu is traditionally eaten with the fingers, and a small ball of it can be dipped into an accompanying soup or sauce.[5]

References change

  1. Ukegbu, Kavachi Michelle (2021). The art of fufu : a guide to the culture and flavors of a West African tradition. Grubido. Austin, Texas. ISBN 978-1-62634-596-6. OCLC 1241244901.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. "5 Popular Swallows Eaten By Ghanaians". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
  3. Victoria, Akinola (2022-04-24). "5 Nigerian meals that have similar versions across African countries". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
  4. Nweke, Felix I. "THE CASSAVA TRANSFORMATION IN AFRICA". United Nations. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  5. "What is Fufu, the West African Delicacy?". www.finedininglovers.com. Retrieved 2022-09-17.