FUFU (SWALLOWS)

Fufu (Swallows) image

Making swallows can be a labor of love. Throughout West Africa, swallows, which are a satisfying accompaniment to vegetable soups and stewed meats, are traditionally prepared by pounding cooked starchy roots or tubers in a large mortar with a heavy pestle. As the vegetables break down, hot water is added and the mixture becomes stretchy and soft, with a texture like yeast dough. All swallows are not fufu, but fufu is the term commonly used in the diaspora to describe the method in this recipe: continuous cooking, stirring and kneading turns finely milled starch into a smooth, elastic mass. The result, like that of the classic method, is notably neutral in taste and always served warm.

Provided by Yewande Komolafe

Categories dinner, lunch, one pot, side dish

Time 25m

Yield 2 to 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 2

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Ingredients

1 cup yam, cassava, cocoyam or plantain flour (see Tip)
Vegetable soups and stewed meat, such as efo riro, for serving

Steps:

Pour 3 cups of water into a medium pot and make a slurry by stirring in the flour all at once with a wooden spoon. Set the pot over medium-low heat. Cook the batter, stirring continuously as it thickens and begins to form a dough, 4 to 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and fold the batter over itself, smoothing out any lumps as you fold. You should have a thick and chalky-looking dough at this point. Continue to cook while folding until the dough begins to stiffen and pull away from the sides of the pot, and a thin film forms on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes.
Spread the dough across the bottom of the pot, then use the wooden spoon to poke a few deep indents on the surface. Pour 1/4 cup of water around the edges and over the top of the dough.
Cover and cook without stirring until the dough is heated through, translucent and all the starchy granules have absorbed the water, 6 to 8 minutes.
Remove the lid and mix until a smooth, slightly glossy and sticky dough forms. If the dough is too firm, you can add up to 1/4 cup additional water. It should be soft and somewhat pliable, but not runny. Remove from heat, cover and let sit to set and cool slightly, at least 5 minutes and up to 15 minutes.
Form the mixture into spheres to serve: Fill a bowl with water and dip a large serving spoon to wet it, then scoop the dough. Press the scooped dough in the spoon against the side of the pot to shape the dough into a round, then transfer to a shallow bowl. Repeat with the remaining dough to form 2 to 3 more spheres, dipping the spoon into the water before each scoop. Fufu and swallows are typically served with a vegetable soup, such as efo riro, egusi soup or okra soup, and topped with any stewed meats.