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
-
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
Yam Fufu
PREP 20min
COOK 25min
READY IN 45min
This recipe gives directions for preparing fufu based on yam. Traditional pounding and beating in a large mortar are here replaced with a food processor, but the finishing touch is still done by hand.
Ingredients
Yam Fufu
2 lb (450g) yams
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp butter
Preparation
Yam Fufu
Fill a cooking pot with cold water. Add the yams, bring the water to boil, and continue cooking for 25 minutes, or until the yams are soft. Do not add salt in water.
Cool the yams and peel their skin off.
Place the yams, salt, pepper, and butter in a food processor. Pulse briefly to remove lumps, but do not puree it.
Now, transfer fufu to a large bowl. Beat until it is completely smooth and slightly sticky by using a wire whisk or a wooden spoon.
Shape into small balls and serve warm.
Other authentic recipes
Rating And Comments
Rate It
Wanna try?
Add To List