What is Fufu?

What is Fufu? – Fufu (foo foo) is one of the most cherished traditional meals in Africa culinary history. Although, this meal has been introduced to the Africans and Caribbeans over many years but is still alien to most. Let us tell you about it!

Fufu – (Foo Foo)

Fufu is a very starchy food that is eaten in parts of West and Central Africa. It is made by boiling starchy root vegetables and then mashing them into a dough-like consistency. The ingredients vary depending on the region, but they often include cassava, yams, and plantains.

Background

Fufu is a staple food in West and Central Africa. It is a swallow with a neutral taste that is usually served with different types of soups. For example, in Nigeria, it is served with soup like Ogbono, Egusi, Efo riro. In Ghana, foo foo is usually a combination of mashed yam, plantain, and cassava. In addition, it is served with light soup or peanut stew in Ghana.

What Is Foo Foo (Fou Fou) Made Of?

Traditionally, West African fufu is made from cassava. However, over the years, it is now made from different starch depending on your location in Africa.  Foo foo can be made from oat flour, maize, wheat, plantain, yams, cassava, corn, rice, or semolina. These starchy vegetables are sometimes boiled, or pounded. Foo foo is served with soup, stew, and meat or fish.

How to make Foo Foo?

There are different ways of making fufu. The starch you intend to use will determine the method you can adopt. If you are making it with cassava, plantain, or yam, you need to boil your starch first and pound with mortar and pestle to create the dough.

Even though in most African kitchens, foo foo is still pounded, the modern way to make it now is with a food processor. You can use the food processor to knead your starch into the dough after you have done the preliminary boiling.

The interesting part is that there is now fufu powder that you can use instead of pounding. If you are using flour, you can follow the following steps:

• Boil water in the kettle
• Transfer a few cups from the water at boiling point to a pot
• Add your foo foo flour and begin to stir with a spatula till it becomes solid
• Keep rolling till it forms a smooth dough
• Mold and serve with any of your favorite soups.

What Does Fufu Taste Like?

The traditional fufu made with cassava has a mild to sour taste depending on how the cassava is processed. If the cassava is fermented, then the fufu will be sour. If it is unfermented, then the resulting foo foo will taste a bit neutral.

The mild flavor and sour taste of fufu make it a perfect swallow fit for Africa soup like Banga soup, Okro soup, Jute leaves soup, or Egusi soup. 

How to serve Foo foo

In Africa, this meal is not eaten as a standalone food. Instead, you can serve with any African soup. The combination of fufu with properly made soup with beef, goat meat, fish, or chicken is amazing. You should try it with your family.

Are You Supposed to Chew or swallow Fufu?

Fufu belongs to the category of food called “swallow.”  So, you are supposed to swallow each morsel with your favorite soup. Of course, you can chew if you want.

Is Eating Fufu Healthy?

Yes, fufu has great health benefits. First, it is low in cholesterol and rich in carbohydrates and fiber. It also contains potassium and resistant starch, which promote your digestive system and help to reduce inflammation. You will also benefit from vitamin C, riboflavin, antioxidant beta carotene, thiamine, and niacin.

How long does foo foo take to Digest?

Despite its great health benefit, fufu is heavy food. So, it takes longer to digest. Therefore, it is advisable not to take this meal late at night. Generally, when you eat at night the body is more likely to store those calories as fat and gain weight rather than burn it as energy.

You can eat your fufu with the following amazing soup:

• Ogbono soup
•  Banga Soup
• Okro soup
• Okro Soup with Spinach
• Jute Leaves Soup (Ewedu)
•  Peanut Soup
• Egusi Soup
• Spinach Stew (Efo Riro)

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