(VOVWORLD) - Different regions have different kinds of staple food, that is consumed mostly everyday. While it’s rice in Asia, wheat breads in Europe, one of the most staple food in African countries, such as Cote D'Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Togo, and Nigeria, is fufu. Today we will talk to Laykay Adepoju, a Nigerian who is working in Hanoi, to know more about the food.
Phuong Khanh: Hello, we’re Kim Chi and Phuong Khanh and this is “Food Delight”, which introduces interesting dishes and how to make them.
Kim Chi: Today we welcome back Laykay Adepoju, and he will introduce Fufu, a very common staple food in African countries. Hi Laykay.
Laykay: Hello VOV listeners.
Phuong Khanh: Please tell us what is Fufu made of?
Laykay: Basically, Fufu is comprised of equal proportions of cassava and green plaintain. They will be pounded and mixed together with some water until it becomes a kind of dough. Traditionally, we will prepare fresh ingredients, which are cassava, plaintain, and pound them until they are perfectly combined into a smooth, a bit sticky mixture.
KIm Chi: How long does it take?
Laykay: It takes hours to make the Fufu mixture. We have to have some fresh cavasa, plaintain, some corn powder, if you like. In our traditional way, we will use a mortar and a pestle to pound the mixture into a smooth Fufu dough. However, in this modern life, there is a more convenient way of making Fufu. There are many brands of Fufu mix which are quite similar to the original taste. First, you have to boil some water. When the water is boiling, pour the Fufu mix into that pot and begin to stir right away to ensure the smoothness of the Fufu dough later on. I like to add some corn powder. It’s my favorite taste of Fufu.
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Kim Chi: Yes in Vietnam we have a similar technique when cooking a dish from a powder mixture. We have to stir the pot right after putting in the powder. So for how long will we have to cook the dough?
Laykay: Usually, you stir the mixture, add some water from time to time, until it becomes a quite thick and sticky mixture. During that period, I normally use a small wooden pedal to pound the mixture. The process need some 15 to 20 minutes.
Phuong Khanh: Yes. So what will we eat the food with?
Kim Chi: That’s what I’m about to ask. What can be served with Fufu?
Lay Kay: That’s a very good question. You guys are really sensible. Fufu is like steam rice in Vietnam. So it can be served with many other dishes. In Nigeria, it can be eaten with Egusi, one of the finger licking soup consisting of melon or pumpkin seeds, crayfish, and chicken. A simpler option for you is pumpkin soup. You can de-seed a pumpkin and squash them into a mixture then, add any kind of ingredient to make it special for you. For example, some chicken, or fish.
Phuong Khanh: Sound so good. I can’t wait to try this. Thank you Laykay. Thanks to you, our list of African dishes is more and more expanded.
Kim Chi: Please let us know what is your own experience with this recipe. Follow us on our Facebook Fanpage - VOV5 English Service - or email us at englishsection@vov.org.vn. We love hearing from you. Goodbye.