Fufu is a dish belonging to the Caribbean and West African tradition, widespread especially in Ghana, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is prepared by combining yam and other very starchy vegetables with boiling water to obtain a mixture similar to polenta. Fufu can be cooked in many different ways, as the ingredients and method to use depend on the region of origin. Traditionally, all types of fufu are paired with dishes that tend to be broth, such as soups, sauces and stews. The fufu is broken into pieces and used in a similar way to a spoon to collect the main course.
Ingrediants
Corn Fufu
- 950 ml of water
- 340 g of fine-grained cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) of salt
Fufu of Cassava and Platano
- 1 sweet cassava
- 1 plane tree
Fufu of Rice and Semolina
- 335 g of semolina
- 320 g of rice flour
- 1, 4 liters of water
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Make Corn Fufu
Step 1. Boil the water
Corn fufu (also called "ugali") is one of the many varieties of fufu you can make. As the name suggests, it is simply prepared with water and corn, the latter in the form of fine-grained flour.
- Pour 950ml water into a large, thick-bottomed saucepan. Add the salt and bring the water to a boil over medium heat.
- When the water boils, take 250ml from the pot and set it aside. Leave the rest of the water on the stove.
Step 2. Add the cornmeal and reduce the heat
Slowly add it to the boiling water, stirring constantly with the whisk as you pour it. After you have poured all the flour into the water, make sure it is well distributed, then replace the whisk with a wooden spoon and start stirring again.
After adding all the flour, reduce the heat and let it cook over low heat
Step 3. Stir constantly as the fufu thickens
Stir the mixture vigorously using the wooden spoon to prevent it from burning. If there are any lumps, temporarily remove the pot from the heat to melt them, then return it to the lit stove.
- As the fufu heats up, the starch contained in the cornmeal will cause it to thicken. It will take about 5-10 minutes.
- When you start to smell roasted corn, it's time to move on to the next stage of preparation.
Step 4. Add the water you kept aside
When the mixture has thickened, pour the water you set aside into the pot. Stir to get it absorbed by the fufu, then cover the pot with the lid and let it cook for another 10-15 minutes.
When the cooking time is up, turn off the stove and take the pot away from the heat
Step 5. Serve the hot fufu
Create the portions using a ladle or a small bowl: shape into balls with your hands before serving.
Method 2 of 3: Prepare the Manioc and Plantain Fufu
Step 1. Prepare the necessary tools
For the cassava and plantain fufu recipe, you'll need a large pot to boil the ingredients in, as well as a large mortar and pestle to mash the plantains and cassava.
- You will also need a large skillet, knife, tureen, and ladle (or small bowl).
- If you don't have a large mortar and pestle, you can use a full-sized one and grind the ingredients a little at a time.
Step 2. Peel and cut the cassava and plantain
Peel the plantain and cut it into pieces about 2-3 centimeters large. Immediately after, cut the cassava into slices of the same thickness as the plantain. Peel the cassava discs, then cut them into cubes.
- It is essential to use the sweet cassava variety instead of the bitter one, as the latter must be treated differently to remove all cyanogenic glycosides present in the root.
- In this recipe you can replace the plantain and cassava with yam (or yam) to make yam fufu. However, make sure that the tuber you are about to buy is really yam: it must have white flesh and brown skin; it doesn't have to be a sweet potato, which is sometimes mistakenly called yam.
Step 3. Boil the cassava and plantain
Fill a large pot of water and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. When the water boils, add the cassava and plantain cut into small pieces, then wait for the water to boil again.
Cassava and plantain should boil for about 15 minutes or until you can skewer the pulp easily
Step 4. Drain the cassava and plantain
When they are cooked and soft, drain and save the cooking water. You can use a skimmer to remove the cassava and plantain pieces from the water. Alternatively, you can place a colander over a large bowl that will allow you to store the cooking water.
The water in which you boiled the cassava and plantain contains the starch they released and you will need to mix the fufu
Step 5. Mash the plantain
Place one piece at a time inside the mortar and crush it a couple of times with the pestle before adding the next piece. Repeat and mash all the plantain pieces until you get a coarse puree. Stir and start beating again until you get a smooth and homogeneous puree.
- Not even a small piece of whole plantain should remain.
- Once ready, transfer the plantain puree to a bowl.
- If you have a large mortar and pestle available, you will have less effort with the help of an assistant: you can concentrate on pounding the ingredients, while the other person will add them to the mortar or vice versa.
Step 6. Mash the cassava
Repeat the same process with cassava. Crush one piece at a time until you've crushed them all, then mix and continue pounding and mixing until you get a smooth, completely homogeneous puree.
You need to get a white puree with a uniform consistency
Step 7. Combine the two purees
Put the plane tree puree back into the mortar and grind the two preparations together with the pestle. Continue to pound and mix until the two purees are perfectly blended.
- If the mixture starts to get sticky, add the starchy water you kept, 50ml at a time.
- The fufu is ready when the two compounds are perfectly blended and the puree is homogeneous, soft and light.
Step 8. Shape of the fufu balls
Use a ladle or small bowl to create even portions, then shape small balls by molding them in your hands.
Method 3 of 3: Prepare the Rice and Semolina Fufu
Step 1. Boil the water
Pour it into a large thick-bottomed saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. It is important that the pot has a thick bottom to reduce the likelihood of the fufu burning as it cooks and thickens.
If you want, you can replace the semolina and rice flour with 450 g of pancake mix and instant mash, respectively, plus 250 g of tapioca or cassava flour
Step 2. Add the semolina
Slowly pour it into the water, stirring continuously with the whisk. When the mixture is uniform, start working it with a wooden spoon. Stir the mixture without stopping for another 3-4 minutes, so that it has time to thicken.
The fufu can be very thick, so you will need to ask someone to help you hold the pot steady while you stir
Step 3. Add the rice flour
Gradually pour it into the mixture, stirring constantly to blend the ingredients. When the rice flour has been completely incorporated, put the lid on the pot, reduce the heat and let the fufu cook for 10 minutes.
Step 4. Serve the hot fufu
Use a ladle to make portions, then serve while hot to accompany a soup or stew.
