Fufu
A soft, stretchy dough made from pounded cassava and plantain, shaped into balls and swallowed with soup. In Ghana, it is the classic partner for light soup and groundnut soup.
Fufu, A typical Ghanaian cuisine: Jeffery Agyenim-Boateng, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Where it comes from
Fufu is eaten across West and Central Africa, with Ghana's cassava-plantain version among the best known. It is traditionally pounded in a mortar by two people taking turns.
Explore the cuisine of Ghana.
Recipe
Make Fufu at home
Ingredients
- 2 cups cassava flour or fufu flour
- 1 ripe-green plantain (optional)
- 3 cups water
- pinch of salt
- light soup or groundnut soup for serving
How it's made
- Bring the water to a boil with the salt.
- If using plantain, boil it until soft, then blend with some water until smooth.
- Whisk the flour into a cup of cold water, then add to the pot, stirring constantly.
- Cook on low heat, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, until it thickens and turns glossy.
- Cover and steam 5 minutes, then stir again until smooth and stretchy.
- Shape into balls with wet hands and serve with soup.
Variations
- Pounded fufu: made by pounding boiled cassava and plantain.
- Instant fufu: from packaged flour.
Cook’s tip: Keep a bowl of water nearby to wet your hands and the spoon so the dough does not stick.
Also on the menu in
Related dishes
Pounded yamMain dishes · Nigeria
Egusi soupSoups · Nigeria
UgaliMain dishes · Kenya
MaafeMain dishes · Mali
About this page
Description and method written by Intercontinental Chef. Home-style method; quantities are a starting point, so adjust to taste.
Photo credit
- Fufu, A typical Ghanaian cuisine: Jeffery Agyenim-Boateng, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)