Fufu African Dish Recipes

CARIBBEAN FUFU RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Carefully peel the yams; their slippery quality can make them hard to peel.
• Cut the peeled yams into 2-inch chunks and place them in a large pot of well salted water. The water should cover the yams by about 2-inches.
• Bring the yams to a boil over high heat. Keep a rapid boil until the yams are just turning soft, about 20 minutes.
• Drain the yams, reserving 2 cups of the cooking water. Allow the yams to cool.
• Place the cooled yams in a large bowl along with salt and pepper to taste, and the olive oil.
• Mash and mix the ingredients using a potato masher. The mixture will be uneven and lumpy.
• Place the fufu mixture in a food processor or blender. Pulse briefly at low speed to remove any lumps but do not puree.
• 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 perfectly fine to use your hands to get it to the desired texture. Add some of the reserved water, starting with 1/4 cup, and work the dough. You might need to add more water, but it depends on how moist the yams were to begin with. Keep working and adding water until you have a springy dough that comes away from the bowl, is pliable, and is easily shaped.
• Shape the fufu into balls of equal size and serve as an accompaniment to your favorite soup or stew.

STOVETOP FUFU

Steps:

• Combine the cocoyam fufu flour and 1 cup cold water in a small pot (see Cook's Note). With a sturdy wooden spoon, stir until the mixture is combined and has a silky-smooth texture without any lumps. Place the pot over medium heat and cook, stirring continuously with the wooden spoon, until the mixture starts to solidify and thicken, 1 to 2 minutes. Once it thickens, use the spoon to knead the fufu in the pot until it starts to pull away from the sides of the pot and becomes one mass, about 2 minutes
• Add 1/3 cup water to the fufu, cover with a lid or aluminum foil and bring the water to a boil. Remove the lid and use the wooden spoon to continuously knead the fufu in the pot until the water cooks off. Continue to knead for 1 minute more. Repeat the process of adding water and kneading 2 more times.
• To test for doneness, dip the wooden spoon in water and gently touch it to the fufu. The fufu should have a glossy appearance and should not stick to the spoon. If it is still sticky, make another addition of water and knead it until the water is absorbed. Then test the fufu with a wet spoon again.
• Line a medium plate with plastic wrap and sprinkle it with cold water. Dip the wooden spoon in water, then use it to scoop the fufu onto the plastic wrap. Mold the fufu into a ball by twisting the 4 ends of the plastic wrap together clockwise, then untwist the ends counterclockwise to release the fufu. Transfer the fufu to a small bowl and serve with the soup or stew of your choice.

FUFU

Steps:

• Place the cassava and plantains (with peels on) into a large pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until cassava is soft, about 30 minutes; drain. Remove and discard peels from plantains, and return them to the pot. Mash with butter, then beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Use as much butter as needed to get the mixture moist enough to blend.

FUFU

Steps:

• Bring 6 cups of water to a rapid boil in a large, heavy pot.
• Combine the two ingredients and add to the water.
• Stir constantly for 10-15 minutes - a process that needs two people for best results: one to hold the pot while the other stirs vigorously with a strong implement (such as a thick wooden spoon). The mixture will become very thick and difficult to stir, but unless you are both vigilant and energetic, you'll get a lumpy mess.
• When the fufu is ready (or you've stirred to the limits of your endurance), dump about a cup of the mixture into a wet bowl and shake until it forms itself into a smooth ball.
• Serve on a large platter alongside a soup or stew.