West Africa · Main
Igname Pilée (Pounded White Yam with Spiced Peanut or Egusi Sauce)
Silky, elastic mounds of mortar-pounded white yam served alongside a fiery, slow-simmered peanut and chili broth.
The story
Revered by the Bariba and Mahi peoples of central and northern Benin, Igname Pilée (locally called Agoun or Télibô) anchors the sacred August new yam festival (Fête de l'Igname). Pounding transforms dense tubers into an ethereal, stretchable mass that honors ancestral earth deities for a bountiful harvest. Master cooks select specific aged Laboko yams whose low water content and high starch plasticity ensure the signature smooth, lump-free elasticity.
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