What exactly is Fufu or Foufou?
The answer depends on where you are. In West Africa, fufu is a dumpling-like (according to Wikipedia , a porridge-like) side dish. It can be made from maize, cassava, yams, or plantains.
In Cameroon, when people talk about fufu/foufou, they often mean a kneadable dumpling made from cassava. However, the term couscous used instead of fufu/fufu. Therefore, people often say couscous de manioc, or simply fuf/foufou.
Fufu/Foufou is also the flour from which fufu dumplings are made. This flour is made from fermented, then dried, and finally ground cassava root.
Benefits of fufu for a healthy diet
Fufu flour has many health benefits, including:
- It's a good alternative for people with gluten intolerance, as fufu is naturally gluten-free. In terms of processing and consistency, fufu is closer to wheat flour.
- It is very rich in starch and therefore very easy to digest and very filling.
Fufu was once made entirely by hand, a backbreaking task. Nowadays, production is semi- to fully automated. That's why ready-made fufu flour can now be found in Germany, in many African food stores, or in online shops.
Fufu can be eaten with various sauces. I prefer to serve my fufu with okra sauce.
And what is your favorite sauce for fufu? Feel free to write it in the comments. I'm curious about your favorite.
The fufu flour must first be passed through a fine sieve to remove any remaining particles from the cassava roots. This will result in a nice, smooth dumpling later.
Before adding the fufu flour to the water, make sure the water is hot but not boiling. Otherwise, small lumps will form that are very difficult to remove.
To prevent lumps, I use a whisk and mix the flour and water with very quick movements, like when making cake batter.
Only after everything is thoroughly mixed do I use a wooden stick specifically for fufu, Nku'Pêhn ( fufu's arrow) the Bamun language . With this, the mixture is kneaded until the desired consistency is reached, gradually adding hot water.
The whole thing as a video
Et voilà! Bon appétit!
Fufu/Foufou
Equipment
- fine sieve
- whisk
- wooden stick
Ingredients
- 250 g fufu flour
- approx. 500 ml water
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil in a saucepan
- Meanwhile, sift the fufu flour through a fine sieve
- Once the water boils, remove about half and set aside, then turn the stove down to medium heat
- Gradually mix the flour and water in a saucepan using a whisk, ensuring no lumps form
- Once everything is well mixed, remove the whisk and continue kneading with the wooden stick until a smooth consistency is achieved
- Gradually pour in the hot water and continue kneading until the desired consistency is achieved
- Then portion the cooked fufu with a saucer and form small round dumplings with a small bowl
- Serve with a sauce of your choice
