Tim’s fufu challenge! Tim tries spicy fufu for the first time in Tamale, Ghana – and it’s more of a challenge than he anticipated. His tasting the fufu, the funny voice he puts on, and his very honest reactions to trying fufu are great.
You should see when he puts his fingers into the pounded yam for the first time – make sure you have the sound on.
You’ll also get a glimpse of the chefs pounding the yams to make the fufu.
Here the fufu is made from pounded yams, but the starch can also be cassava or plantains. There are a few different soups that can be used for this dish, but light soup was my favorite and the most prevalent in our travels.
Despite everyone thinking Tim was a local, until he spoke, I was the one that had been eating fufu for our entire time in Ghana. I love the stuff. He probably should have ordered a milder version of it, but he was being stubborn that day.
By the way, I’m testing out using captions. Let me know in the comments if you like them, or not.
We stayed at Picorna Hotel in Tamale. Their rooms are nice and their kitchen is fantastic.
Here’s a link to a bunch more posts and videos about Ghana: https://www.teamhazardridesagain.com/category/africa-travel-adventures/ghana-travel-adventures/
Fufu FAQ
Fufu is a starch base made of pounded yam. cassava or plantain. The dough-like substance is fairly thick and sticky and always combined with a soup like Light Soup, Okro (Okra) Soup, or Groundnut (Peanut) Soup, to name a few. Fufu is a popular dish throughout West Africa, especially Ghana and Nigeria.
Fufu is traditionally eaten with the right hand. You start by pinching off a piece of fufu (the starch base) and dipping it deeply into and scooping up the surrounding soup or stew. When you bring it to your mouth you don’t really chew it but let it slide down your throat. This will ensure you feel full and satisfied throughout the day.
Any vegetables or meat in the soup are also eaten with the right hand. Don’t worry, you’ll always be given the opportunity to wash your hands before and after eating fufu.
Goat meat is probably the most traditional meat to eat with fufu, but chicken, fish and beef are all commonly used.
Fufu is made from pounded yams, cassava or plantains.
Fufu is a starch base that itself is either bland, or leaning towards the tart/sour side. However, as it’s always paired with a soup or stew that will heavily influence your perception of the taste. I really like fufu with light soup (a West African red pepper soup), but you might prefer one of the other soups it comes with. Fufu is not meant to be eaten by itself.
Fufu is a starch staple made from yams, cassava or plantains that is popular throughout West Africa and can be paired with any soups or stews from the region. Fufu is eaten in Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, Cote D’Ivoire, Cameroon, Angola, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic .
Video Transcript
Hello, Ladies and Gentlemen.
This is Tim of Team Hazard and Trina behind the camera.
We are going to show you fufu.
What is fufu, you say?
It’s a delicious food.
Pounded yams in soup.
Simple but very tasty.
Or at least I’m trying to find out because I’ve never had it before.
Trina says it’s great, but, ah, I never believe her.
So anyway, there’s a procedure to it.
First of all, they give you a bowl full of warm water and soap.
Yes, soap.
Haha ha ha.
We towel off the hands.
They’re nice and dry now.
And we are waiting as the fufu comes.
(pounding fufu)
Welcome back.
We’ve come here in the dining room ready for fufu.
This is fufu.
This is fufu.
Together they’re fufu.
Okay.
If you put them apart, this is more soup,
this is more pounded yam and then you put them together and you have fufu.
Now, traditionally, you only eat with the right hand here, especially if you’re going
to be digging into fufu.
There are those who might think that the traditional way to eat fufu might not be for them
and so they would use a spoon.
And yes…
Shall I sample it with a spoon?
– [Trina] Go ahead.
– Okay.
Now, you take a bit of, forgive the blind guy, he can’t see the fufu.
– [Trina] It’s a little sticky.
– Yes.
Kind of sticky, gooey, chewy, but yummy. We dip it into the soup and watch.
Yum!
(Trina laughs)
Now, see that’s the way you do if you’re not familiar with eating fufu the traditional way.
But, we’re going traditional.
Look out.
I am crazy about tradition.
Away with the spoon and we use our fingers.
Okay. Here it goes.
You’re ready for this?
Make sure I find it.
Oh, ewww.
And we’ll dip it in.
Mmm.
And it’s even better that way.
It’s even better this way.
You may not believe it but it actually adds to
(coughing)
Okay.
It’s got a little, got a little (coughs) got a little spice on it.
Ah!
Okay.
We’re back.
Sorry about that.
Forgot about the spice, but it is tasty.
Let’s do it again.
A little bit of pounded yam, a little bit of soup.
– [Trina] You could actually
dip it a lot more than that.
– Okay
– Yes.
– There is a lump of something in the middle of it.
– [Trina] That’s chicken.
– Oh, haha.
I don’t know if I can talk to you any longer.
I’ve gotta stuff my face with fufu.
If you’re ever traveling and you’re coming to Ghana, you’ve gotta get some fufu.
It’s the best, tastiest, most fantastic food I’ve ever tasted.
Oh, oh, I tasted it twice.
But that’s all right.
It’s fufu.
We said it twice, we’ll taste it twice.
So come on down and try some fufu because I think it’s fantastic.
And I would not lie, except when I’m sleeping.
Nevermind.
Nevermind.
Fufu for you and the universe.
I bid you adieu with my fufu.
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