Authentic Fufu Recipe Ghana, Africa
JUMP TO RECIPEWe strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
In Western and Central African cooking, fufu holds the same position as mashed potatoes do in traditional European and American cuisine. This staple dish is served with all kinds of soups, stews, and sauces, and looks like a soft, slightly elastic white purée of neutral taste. Depending on the country, the ingredients for fufu may differ. In Ghana, fufu is most commonly made by mashing together cassava and unripe plantains or yams. Fufu-like staples are widespread across the entire Sub-Saharan Africa. Apart from the ingredients mentioned earlier, they can also be prepared with cocoyams, cassava flour, maize, rice, semolina, or potato flakes, and even pre-made fufu powder which only needs to be mixed with water and cooked shortly is commonly used. Traditionally, fufu is prepared by boiling peeled cassava and pounding it with unripe plantains and some water in a large wooden mortar using a pestle. Sometimes the cassava and the plantains are pounded separately and combined in the ... Read more
Serve With
Cooking tips
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plantain
High in fiber and starch and low in fat, plantains are an unsweet banana variety which needs to be cooked before eating. Their skin is peeled like in a common banana, and then they are cut into pieces and cooked in unsalted water. -
cassava
This root, also called manioc or yuca, is one of the largest carbohydrates sources in the tropics, after rice and maize. To prepare cassava for fufu, first cut off the ends, and then divide the roots into smaller, potato-sized pieces. Next, peel each piece, divide into quarters and remove the central core. Cut into cubes and cook for 25 minutes in unsalted water, or until it becomes tender enough ... Read more -
technique
To make fufu without a traditional Ghanaian large wooden mortar and a pestle, simply place cooked cassava and ripe plantain into a food processor and blend into a smooth paste with some water. Transfer the mixture to a pan, continue cooking for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until it becomes dense, and then steam for additional 8 to 10 minutes. The achieved texture should be elastic and slightly ... Read more -
serving
After cooling, fufu is usually formed into a ball and served with soup, stew or sauce. In Ghana, it is eaten with your right hand. A bite-sized portion is torn, formed into a small ball and then dipped in sauce.
Recipe variations
Cassava and Plantain Fufu
PREP 20min
COOK 20min
READY IN 40min
This is a recipe for classic Ghanaian fufu based on cassava (also known as yuca or manioc) and plantain. After blending in a food processor, the mixture is cooked and steamed and can be served with literally any African soup, stew or sauce.
Ingredients
Cassava and Plantain Fufu
300 g (10 1/2 oz) un-ripened plantain
460 g (16 oz) cassava
350-450 ml (1 1/2 cup to 2 cups) water for blending
50 ml (3 tbsp + 1 tsp) water for steaming
Preparation
Cassava and Plantain Fufu
First, peel the plantain and cut it into cubes. Peel and scrape the cassava, de-string it and also cut into cubes.
Next, place the cassava and plantain into the blender. Add water: for now, use 350 ml (1 1/2 cups) if you want fufu to be firmer, or 450 ml (2 cups) if you prefer it softer.
Turn the blender on and process the ingredients into a smooth paste.
Next, heat the paste in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spatula for 8 to 10 minutes to remove any lumps.
Now, add the remaining 50 ml (3 tbsp) of water to the mixture. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover with a lid and steam for another 8 to 10 minutes.
After that, increase the heat to medium setting and stir. The fufu might look too soft, but it will become firmer as it cools down.
Transfer the fufu into a bowl and sprinkle one teaspoon of water on the surface to prevent forming a film. Let it cool completely.
Shape fufu into a ball and serve with soup or stew of your choice.
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