Pounded yam
A smooth, stretchy dough of boiled yam pounded to silkiness and eaten by tearing off pieces and dipping them in a soup. It is one of Nigeria's best-known swallows.
Pounded yam (Iyàn): Taoheedah, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Where it comes from
Pounded yam originates with the Yoruba and is made across Nigeria and nearby countries. Traditionally it is pounded in a large mortar; today many cooks use a food processor or instant yam flour.
Explore the cuisine of Nigeria.
Recipe
Make Pounded yam at home
Ingredients
- 1 kg white yam (African yam)
- water for boiling
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp butter (optional)
- warm water as needed
- egusi soup or another soup for serving
How it's made
- Peel the yam, cut into chunks and rinse.
- Boil in lightly salted water for 20-25 minutes until a knife slides in with no resistance.
- Drain, keeping a cup of the cooking water.
- Pound in a mortar, or mash then beat in a stand mixer with a dough hook, adding spoons of warm water until smooth.
- Continue until stretchy and free of lumps.
- Shape into balls with a wet spoon and serve warm with soup.
Variations
- Instant yam flour: stirred into boiling water.
- Pounded cocoyam or plantain swallow.
Cook’s tip: Work while the yam is hot; cold yam will not smooth out.
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About this page
Description and method written by Intercontinental Chef. Home-style method; quantities are a starting point, so adjust to taste.
Photo credit
- Pounded yam (Iyàn): Taoheedah, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)