Foofoo (or fufu, fufuo, foufou) is an essential food in most of West Africa, and it followed West African slaves when they came to the Caribbean (Guyana). It can be made with any of the starchy ground provisions like plantains, cassava, malanga (eddo) or yam. You can think of foofoo as a version of dumpling. Read on to find out it’s origin and how it can be made.
Origin Of Foofoo
Foofoo is believed to originate in what is modern-day Ghana, by the Asante, the Akuapem, the Guans, the Akyem, the Bono and the Fante peoples of the Akan ethnic group of Ghana. Today, it also features in Togolese cuisine, Guinean cuisine, Cameroonian cuisine, as well as Nigerian cuisine. Yes, foofoo is a staple food common in many countries in West Africa such as Cote D’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Liberia, Benin, Togo and Nigeria.
How Foofoo Is Made Traditionally
The traditional method is to boil starchy food crops like cassava, yam, plantain or eddo and then pound them in a wooden mortar using a wooden pestle until they’re smooth and sticky like dough. In between blows from the pestle, the mixture is turned by hand and water gradually added till it becomes slurry and sticky. The mixture is then formed into a ball or a rounded slab and served. Foofoo is eaten with the fingers, and a small ball of it can be dipped into an accompanying soup, stew or sauce. It’s customary to eat foofoo with clean hands – this is a finger food in the truest sense of the term. Pull off a pinch of dough about the size of a quarter. Roll it into a ball in your hand, then make an indentation in the ball with your thumb. Scoop up the stew and enjoy.
Tip: With the invention of the foofoo machine preparation has become much less labor-intensive (In Ghana).
Nutrition Of Foofoo
Nutritionally, 100 g dry weight foofoo contains 2 g of protein, 0.1 g of fat and 84 g of carbohydrate. There are 267 kcal of food energy in a 100 g serving made up with water. It is very low in cholesterol. It is very rich in potassium, and it is commonly prescribed by doctors for people who have low level of potassium in their blood.
Making Foofoo Today
You can modernize the recipe by using a food processor or blender, which cuts down on the amount of work involved.
Yam Foofoo
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds yams
- Salt (to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Method:
- Gather the ingredients.
- Fill a pot halfway with cold water.
- Peel the yams, being very careful with the knife or peeler, as yams can be slippery.
- Cut the peeled yams into chunks. Place the chunks in the water in the pot.
- Bring the water and the yams to a boil over high heat. Continue to boil until the yams are soft – about 25 minutes.
- Remove the yams and reserve about a cup of the water. Allow the yams to cool.
- Place the cooled yams in a large bowl along with the salt, pepper, and olive oil.
- Mash the ingredients using a potato masher. Don’t worry if the mixture doesn’t look like dough just yet.
- Place the foofoo mixture in a food processor or blender. Pulse briefly to remove any lumps. Do not puree. Use a low speed/setting.
- Place the yam mixture back in the bowl and beat it with a wooden spoon until it becomes smooth. The mixture should become sticky and slightly elastic. It’s okay to use your hands to get it to this point.
- Shape the foofoo into balls of equal size.
- Serve with your favorite soup or stew and enjoy!
Note: You can use butter or margarine instead of the olive oil in a pinch, but olive oil is best. Do the same to any other starchy food crops like cassava, plantain or eddo. If you wish to combine the food crops, follow the method above for each, place them in a bowl and combine the doughs. Combine by mixing the doughs together, folding the dough between each mix to fully incorporate. The foofoo is ready when the various doughs have been fully incorporated and it is soft and fluffy.
Ten Delicious Soups & Stews To Eat With Foofoo:
- Egusi (Melon) Soup
- Pumpkin Soup
- Greens and Peanut Butter Stew
- Pepper Soup
- Okra Soup
- Cassava Leaves Soup
- Fish Stew
- Chicken mixed with Fennel Stew
- Palm Butter Soup
- Chicken Yassa
Watch This: Nigerian Foo-Foo
Foofoo In Guyana
Foofoo is a traditional food that was introduced by the Africans who were brought to Guyana. It is made of boiled starchy crops as mentioned above which is then pounded, mashed or blended and mixed into a soft, sticky ball. Foofoo is often dipped into sauces or eaten with stews of meat, fish, or vegetables. The dish reportedly originated in Ghana, where it is a staple. It is prepared in various ways. Follow the recipe above and enjoy some delicious foofoo.
Article References:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fufu
- https://www.thespruceeats.com/yam-fufu-2138088
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/fufu
- https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Fufu
- https://buzzghana.com/african-fufu/
- Main mage: https://www.thespruceeats.com
