This article shows you how to make fufu the Nigerian way, using cassava tubers only. What is fufu by Nigerian standard and how do you make it the Nigerian style? Fufu is made purely from cassava and I have known the methods for more than 30 years. Most people erroneously call every other swallow in the market fufu but they are not, they have their different names.
Eba (garri), pounded yam, semo and tuwo shinkafa are all different kinds of swallow that are served with soups in Nigeria.
While growing up we ate fufu everyday. Sometimes twice a day, Morning and night. Hence, I have known this recipe from childhood and can make it any day.
Raw fufu is the only required ingredient and it is gotten from fermenting cassava, a process that takes 3-4 days. It is then sifted to remove the chaff and then strained to remove excess water.
What is Fufu Made Of ( How to make it)
While you can purchase wraps of already cooked fufu in several local markets in west-Africa, you can also make your own from scratch just like we did for several years in the village.
I have included a video in this post to show you the steps below, hot to cook and pound it using mortar and pestle.
The only ingredients required is raw fufu.
Step 1
Mold into into round shapes and throw into boiling water (see video below). let it boil for 10 minutes, pound and return to the boiling water.
Step 2
Cook for another 10-12 minutes then pound the second time and you can serve with any soup available.
What is Fufu?
It is a west-African staple that is paired with soups and served as lunch or dinner. Fufu can be served with anyone of the many soups that are locally made in Nigeria.
It tastes a little bit soured and starchy. It is always paired with soup and never eaten alone. We don’t chew fufu, it is swallowed without chewing. When you mould a smaller portion with your hand, dip into the soup and swallow.
Nigerian Fufu Vs Ghana Fufu
There is a striking difference between Nigerian fufu and and the Ghana version. The Nigerian version is made purely from cassava while the Ghanaian version is made from a combination of cassava and plantain.
How to Serve Fufu
As I mentioned earlier, we don’t serve fufu as a stand-alone dish in Nigeria. Rather, It is always paired with a soup. There are many different types of soups that qualify for this pairing. Egusi, Afang, Okro, bitterleaf, Oha are all names of soups that can pair correctly with Nigerian fufu
What kind of soups work best with fufu? Egusi Soup?
Personally, I serve fufu and egusi soup or any particular soup available. Whether it is groundnut soup or Atama, they are all good. However, several Nigerians think some soups are not good for fufu, okro and Ogbono especially.
The reason is merely because these soups are elastic (they are draw draw soups) and seem to slurry out of the smooth fufu before it reaches your mouth. The argument is that since eba is not as smooth as fufu, it is therefore a better swallow choice for Ogbono and Okro soup.
Video For Fufu - Pounding Method
When you buy raw fufu, there are two popular ways to cook it. Either you dissolve it in water and stir over heat like you do for semo/wheat or you try the pounding method. The video below shows you how to make fufu – pounding method.
Thank you for watching, pls don’t forget to comment, like and share with your friends so they can learn how to make fufu the Nigerian style.
Learn More about other Nigerian Foods
Learn How to make fufu soups
