How to Eat Fufu

- April 22, 2009

How to Eat Fufu

African Food

For many Africans, stew and fufu is a classic meal similar to soup and crackers in the US.

How to Eat Fufu

Explore and Understand Africa Through Her Food and Culture

4-22-2009

FuFu is a staple food of Africa

Conventional West African fufu is made by boiling starchy foods as cassava, yam, plantain or rice then pounding them into a gummy yummy mass. Fufu is a staple food to Western and Central Africa and is what mashed potatoes are to traditional American cooking.

Conventional West African fufu is made by boiling starchy foods as cassava, yam, plantain or rice then pounding them into a gummy mass.

Fufu is a staple food to Western and Central Africa and is what mashed potatoes are to traditional American cooking.

For many Africans, stew and fufu is a classic meal similar to soup and crackers in the US. Cocoyam fufu flour is specialty flour specifically formulated to produce instant fufu.

Fufu can be prepared using different basic food materials. Fufu is a staple food to Western and Central Africa and is what mashed potatoes are to traditional American cooking. It can be made using cassava, African yams, potatoes, corn meal, plantains, Rice, and Millet. It reminds me of an unfilled dumpling, almost tasteless but tasty and accompanies any stew.

To eat fufu, tear off a walnut-sized portion of the fufu scoop up stew using your hands and bits of doughy fufu. In West Africa, diners often eat fufu and the stew's sauce first, saving the meat for the end of the meal since it's the most expensive part.

It is traditional to eat using only your right hand, no utensils. If you were to eat with your left hand, it would be both insulting and rude to those around you because usually, the left hand is reserved for "bodily functions" and the hand is never used for eating.

By Chic African Culture
African food recipe

Fufu is a staple food in many West, East and South countries in Africa often made with root vegetables such as cassava and plantains.

Plantain Cassava Fufu Recipe

Serves 4
African food
Total time from start to finish 30 minutes

Ingredients

3 green or yellow plantains

1 medium cassava root

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/4-1/2 cup water

Directions

In a large pot place the peeled and evenly cut plantains and cassava and cover with water. Boil until soft about 20 minutes. Place the salt, flour, plantains and cassava in a mixer and whip until the consistency of soft dough is achieved. Foufou should be much stiffer than mashed potatoes in texture.

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Meet the Author.

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Being African in America I have grown up learning about different ethnic cultures. My mother is a historian of African culture and history and her influence expanded my activities to several best-selling cookbooks, magazine columns, self-branded products, and a popular African culture and food blog.