Also called foo-foo, fufu is made with starchy foods that have been boiled, pounded, and then shaped into round balls. It originated in Ghana and has become a popular dish in many African and Caribbean countries.
The traditional process of making fufu is difficult as it mixes and pounds separate equal portions of cassava and green plantains thoroughly with water. We’ve created a much easier recipe – simply boil the cassava and plantains, blend them with a food processor or blender, and then shape them into small balls.
Traditionally fufu is eaten with fingers by pinching some of the fufu off with fingers and forming it into a bite-sized round ball. Then you can dip the ball into the soup, and stew it with meat. For this recipe, we shaped the fufu into small balls, and you can easily serve them with soup and sauces.
African Fufu
Difficulty: **Fufu is a staple food in many countries in West Africa, Central Africa, and Caribbean. Traditionally it can be made with starchy food like cassava, yams or plantains. This easy fufu recipe boils cassava and plantains first, and then blends them into a dough-like consistency. Finally, it’s shaped into small balls and served with soup, stew, or sauce. So satisfying and delicious!
Ingredients
1 pound plantains It’s best to use plantains that are not completely ripe. I used 2 plantains for this recipe
1 pound cassava (I used 1 cassava for this recipe)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Water
Directions
- Rinse the cassava and plantains with cold water. Peel the skin and cut them into chunks.
- In a large pot add water and bring it to boil.
- Add cassava and plantain pieces, and boil them for about 15-20 minutes until they’re soft. Test by piercing with a fork after 15 minutes.
- Transfer the pieces to a food processor or blender using a slotted spoon.
- Pulse to blend, adding water GRADUALLY, until it reaches your desired consistency. It’s important to add small amount of water each time.
- Transfer the mixture into a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place a piece of plastic wrap on the counter, and take about 2 spoons of the mixture to the middle of the wrap. Shape it into balls. Repeat with the rest of the dough. You’ll get about 8-10 fufu balls. Serve them with stew or soup.
Recipe Video
Notes
- I recommend boiling the cassava and plantains before blending or pounding. It’s much easier to handle as they’re softer after boiling.
- It’s important to add water GRADUALLY to the mixture to reach your desired consistency. Too much water will make your fufu too soft.
