F is for FuFu...
Fufu is a staple food in West Africa. Most of the time it is made by boiling the yam or cassava root and the plantain and then pounding them using a mortar and a pestle. Often one person sits down moving the starchy substance around while someone else stands and pounds. As they do this vigorously, the fufu then forms into a glutinous ball.
This ball of Fufu is placed into some liquid that has been prepared. It is put in 'light soup' or in 'ground nut soup' or in Okra stew or fish soup-- how we love eating our fufu. To eat fufu- you must pinch off a small amount and make sure it is soaked with the 'soup'- 'gravy' - in Ghana you are NOT to chew the fufu but rather swallow it. It was quite an experience the first time I ate Fufu- when I was told I was not to CHEW the food--- I couldn't imagine HOW I would eat it-- for aren't we trained from young to chew food??? Well, with Fufu, that is part of the pleasure of eating it.
