Fun "Fufu" African Dough Balls
Fun "Fufu" African Dough Balls
"Fufu" (FOO-foo) is a beloved dish in many African countries, particularly West Africa. And for kids, preparing and eating "fufu" is hands-on fun from start to finish!
Traditionally, these soft, stretchy balls are made by boiling and pounding starchy vegetables like cassava, yams, or plantains into a smooth, dough-like consistency. "Fufu" are often prepared communally, and they're present for all of life's big moments, from weddings to festivals.
The charm of the dish lies in its simplicity and function. Serve alongside your favorite soup or stew—I recommend Green Ghanaian Spinach Stew. Then, tear off a piece of "fufu" and use it like a utensil to scoop, sop, and savor every luscious drop!
Happy & Healthy Cooking,
Fun-Da-Mentals Kitchen Skills
- measure :
to calculate the specific amount of an ingredient required using a measuring tool (like measuring cups or spoons).
- stir :
to mix together two or more ingredients with a spoon or spatula, usually in a circle pattern, or figure eight, or in whatever direction you like!
Equipment Checklist
- Medium pot
- Liquid measuring cup
- Dry measuring cups
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
Fun "Fufu" African Dough Balls
- 1 1/2 C water
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 C cassava flour
- Optional for color:
- 1 tsp turmeric (yellow)
- 1 tsp paprika (red/orange) **(Omit for NIGHTSHADE ALLERGY)**
- 1 handful baby spinach, blended (green)
Food Allergen Substitutions
Fun "Fufu" African Dough Balls
- Nightshade: Omit optional paprika.
Instructions
Fun "Fufu" African Dough Balls
intro
"Fufu" (FOO-foo) is a West African dish that consists of starchy cassava, potato, or other root vegetables boiled, blended, and stirred until transformed into a thick ball of dough. Fufu is classified as a "swallow" food. Swallow foods are used as your utensil when eating a meal. The fufu is torn into bite-sized pieces and then used to scoop up stew. Then, you toss the whole thing in your mouth and enjoy! In other words, think of fufu as a utensil you can also eat! It has a neutral flavor, so whatever soup, stew, or sauce you serve will be the star. This is such a fun recipe from start to finish (just try saying "fufu" without smiling). It is quick, hands-on, and sure to make long-lasting memories in your kitchen.
measure + boil
First, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil with 1 pinch of salt in a medium pot. Meanwhile, measure 3 cups of cassava flour.
pour + stir
Pour the cassava flour into the water all at once. If you are adding any color to your fufu, add 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon turmeric, or 1 handful puréed baby spinach now. Turn the heat to low, then stir vigorously.
stir + stir
Here comes the fun part! Making fufu is all about stirring to get the right texture from the starch in whichever root vegetable you are using. You are looking for a thick ball of dough that can be touched without it sticking to your hand. Continue to stir until no flour or water remains in the skillet and the fufu ball is smooth and thick. This should take about 5 minutes total from start to finish.
tear + scoop + swallow
Divide the fufu ball into enough pieces for your family. Then, serve the fufu alongside Green Ghanaian Spinach Stew. Remind your family that this dish is traditionally eaten in West African cultures with your hands. Start tearing the fufu into pieces and scoop up all the stew. Remember, fufu is about having fun, eating with your hands, and experiencing a bit of West African culture. Enjoy!
Hi! I'm Cassava!
"My ancestors originally came from South America and Portuguese traders brought some to Africa. Cassava root is popular in South American and West African cuisine. You can find "casabe" or cassava bread in South America and Caribbean islands and in Columbia and Cuba, they make their "buñuelos" (doughnuts) with cassava flour. In Ghana and some other West African countries, they use cassava to make "fufu," a spongy dough that is dipped into soups and stews. And, did you know those boba or tapioca pearls in your bubble tea are made from cassava root?!"
History & Etymology
- Cassava (M. esculenta), also known as manioc, tapioca, or yuca, is a woody shrub from the spurge family. It originated in South America and is native to Brazil and certain areas of the Andes Mountains. The first to grow cassava may have been the Maya on the Yucatán Peninsula. Cassava was brought to Africa in the 16th century, immediately becoming one of the most important crops.
- Cassava can be found in tropical regions around the world today. It grows on fertile, well-drained, moist soil in frost-free areas. Cassava is cultivated because of its edible root (tuber). Cassava roots are also used in animal feed and many laundry starches.
- Cassava root can be used to produce non-grain ethanol as a biofuel. China is the largest producer of cassava-based biofuel.
- The word "cassava" comes from the mid-16th century French "cassave," Spanish "casabe," or Portuguese "cassave," from a Taino (Arawakan) word, "caçabi."
Anatomy
- Cassava grows as a shrub that is about 12 feet high. It produces multiple light-green or reddish branches.
- The roots grow in clusters; each root is long and tapered, 6 to 12 inches long, like a slender sweet potato. The clusters can weigh 15 to 30 pounds.
- Cassava root has naturally occurring cyanide compounds, similar to almonds, bamboo shoots, lima beans, soy, and spinach, and the stones or seeds of stone fruit, like apricots and peaches. Thoroughly boiling the cassava in water successfully reduces the level of toxicity.
- Some cassava species are bitter, and others are sweet. Sweet cassava contains much less of the toxins than the bitter varieties, but the bitter ones attract less pests. While African and South American cuisine uses both, the sweet varieties are found more often in the United States.
How to Buy & Use
- The sweet variety is what you typically find in stores. Fresh cassava or yuca is sometimes seen in larger grocery stores and is often available in African, Asian, and Latin markets. Look for firm roots without bruises or cuts on the skin. It has a waxy coating to preserve it. You may also be able to purchase it peeled and frozen.
- Store cassava in a cool, dry place for no longer than two weeks. You can peel it, cut it into pieces, put it in water, and store it in the refrigerator for about a week, changing the water daily. You can also put the peeled, cut-up cassava in the freezer.
- The skin resembles bark and contains most of the cyanogenic glycoside, linamarin, so you must remove the peel and the thin white layer just underneath it before cooking and eating. If there are a few brown streaks in the flesh, cut those out, as they are signs of spoiling. If there are too many streaks throughout, it is not fresh enough to eat and should be thrown out.
- Soak the cassava in water for about 20 minutes before cooking, then discard the water. Since raw cassava is not edible, it has to be properly cooked before it can be eaten. Thoroughly boiling it is the typical method.
- You can also find cassava root in the form of flour. "Farinha de mandioca" is Brazilian cassava flour. It comes in two forms, "branca" (or white) and "torrada" (or toasted).
- Cassava flour can be used to prepare breads, chips, flakes or as an ingredient in soups, stews, or meat dishes.
- Tapioca is the powdery or pearl-like extract of the dried cassava root. It is used to make sweet puddings or baby food due to its neutral taste. Pearl tapioca is added to Asian desserts and drinks, like bubble or boba tea.
Nutrition
- Cassava root is higher in energy-producing carbohydrates but lower in protein, vitamins, and minerals than corn and rice.
What is Fufu?
- Fufu is a very starchy dough-like food that originated in Ghana and other countries of West Africa. It is traditionally made by boiling and mashing starchy root vegetables like cassava, plantains, and yams.
- Cassava or plantain flour can be used in place of the vegetables and mixed with boiling water until it can be formed into a ball.
- Fufu is one of the African "swallow" foods. They don't have much flavor of their own, but pieces are torn off and used to scoop and soak up soups and stews with the hands instead of using a utensil.
Let's Learn About West Africa!
- There are five regions on the African continent: Northern, Western, Central, Eastern, and Southern.
- West Africa (or Western Africa) is in the westernmost part of the continent in sub-Saharan Africa (below the Sahara desert). It consists of the following sixteen countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo, plus Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, an overseas British Territory.
- West Africa has the fastest growing population and economy on the continent. Its total area is 1,974,103 square miles, and the number of people in the region is estimated to be over 381 million.
- Football (soccer) is the most popular sport; however, West Africans may also participate in basketball and athletics (track and field).
- Arab traders influenced West African cuisine by bringing in spices like cinnamon, cloves, and mint. Later, European traders and slave ships brought chili peppers, corn, and tomatoes.
- Likewise, West African countries influenced New World cuisine when traders, colonists, missionaries, and enslaved Africans brought their food traditions to the Americas and Europe.
- Examples of West African dishes include "maafe" (peanut stew from Mali), a staple food in the region, "jollof" (a Senegalese rice dish), "akara" (a black-eyed pea fritter), and "eba" (a Nigerian staple made from cassava flour or "garri" eaten with soups and stews).
THYME for a Laugh
Did you know tapioca is a starch made from the cassava root?
Some people love tapioca and some find it to be off-pudding!
