West Africa · Main
Fufu (Pounded White Yam)
Silky, stretchy pounded white yam globes paired with a rich, spiced goat meat and roasted peanut soup.
The story
In the rocky highlands of the Kozah and Kara regions, Fufu is the undisputed king of culinary hospitality among the Kabye people, celebrated weekly during Sunday gatherings and annual harvests like Evala. Preparing authentic Togolese Fufu requires dry, high-starch white yams (Dioscorea rotundata, locally known as Laboko), boiled to precise softness before being hammered in a carved wooden mortar. Scientifically, the rhythmic pounding shears starch granules while mechanical energy stretches released amylose chains into an elastic, elastic dough impossible to replicate with food processors.
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