Pounded Yam

Contents… Recipe Ingredients How to Make Recipe Variations Tips and Tricks Serving and Storage Instructions FAQs What to Serve More African Recipes to Try Watch How To Make It

What is Pounded Yam?

Swallows are a meal staple in Africa and often accompany stews and soups. These are soft, doughy, and chewy foods that you can easily swallow even without chewing, hence the name swallow. And pounded yam fufu is one of them, along with Cassava and Corn Fufu.

We usually eat it with our right hand, creating a small ball and pressing the dough on the center to make an indentation. This serves as a spoon to scoop out soup or stew.

Oh, what a creative way to enjoy scrumptious soups such as Egusi and Eru. Interesting, huh? 😉

Pounded Yam Recipe Ingredients

Pounded yam fufu is similar to mashed potatoes but heavier. It is a little blander than potatoes because it has only two ingredients – yams and water.

• Ghana Yams – Not to be confused with sweet potatoes. Ghana yams, also known as true yams, are not even close to sweet potatoes. Also, they are starchier with a mild earthy flavor profile similar to cassava and potatoes.
• Water – We will cook the yams in water until soft and tender. Make sure that the yams are entirely submerged in water to facilitate even cooking.

How to Make Pounded Yam

Prep the Yams

1. Peel the Yam with a sharp knife, peeling away from your body (so you don’t cut yourself as I did), carefully draw the paring knife down the side of the yam, taking care not to remove too much flesh.
2. Remove Bruises and Spots – Look for spoiled spots, such as bruising and discoloration, while peeling. Remove the spots with the tip of your knife.
3. Cut and Set Aside – Cut into large chunks, rinse immediately and leave them in cool water until ready to cook them to prevent discoloration. (Photos 1-2)

Boil the Yams

1. Submerge Yams in Water – Add yams to a medium pot with water – enough to barely cover the yams – and salt to taste, if desired.
2. Boil and Drain – Boil until tender, remove from heat and immediately drain yams thoroughly in a colander. Reserve some of the water for blending. (Photos 3-4)

Blend and Wrap

1. Blend and Pulse Yams – Add the boiled yams into a food processor. Start blending, pulse for 20-30 seconds, then check for smoothness. I move the yam puree around with a spoon between pulses to ensure even blending. Add 1-2 tablespoons of the reserved water as needed until you achieve desired texture. Pounded yam should be stretchy and soft. (Photos 5-6)
2. Wrap and Serve – Wrap in parchment paper (for the health-conscious or plastic wrap). Serve with Ogbono Soup. (Photos 7-8)

Recipe Variations

• Add Seasonings – Amp up the flavor of your plain pounded yam fufu with a pinch of salt. Or enhance the flavor with garlic powder and pepper to add savory goodness to our delicious swallow food.
• Butterylicious – Make your pounded yam extra rich and creamy with the addition of butter. Yum! 😋
• Nice and Sweet – You can also enjoy this African pounded yam on the sweeter side by adding a bit of sugar to the mixture.

Tips and Tricks

• If you don’t have a food processor, you can grate the boiled yam instead and use a hand mixer to mix them until smooth and thoroughly blended.
• The amount of water needed to boil yams depends on how dry they are and your preferred consistency.
• For best results, use yams harvested at least three months before.

Serving and Storage Instructions

Preparing pounded yams may take a long time to make, especially when you do it manually with mortar and pestle. To save time and effort, you can make it ahead, and I’ll be happy to share with you how to store them properly to serve for later. 😉

• Store – Let the prepared pounded yams cool completely and wrap them with plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate – You can safely store it in the fridge for 3-5 days.
• Freezer – It will keep in the freezer for up to three months.
• Reheat – When you are ready to serve, allow the fufu to thaw on the counter for about 30 minutes before reheating. Transfer the pounded yam to a microwave-safe dish and microwave on a high setting for about two minutes. Turn on the other side and heat again for two minutes. Repeat until warmed through. Alternatively, you can also reheat your yam fufu by steaming it on the stovetop.

Tip 1: Do the same in storing and reheating leftover pounded yam fufu.

Tip 2: You can store sliced raw yams in a container submerged in water and covered inside the fridge to prevent discoloration. It will keep in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Or, if you intend to freeze them, squeeze a small amount of lemon juice into sliced raw yams and place them in freezer-safe resealable bags before freezing.

FAQs

What to Serve with Pounded Yam

Egusi will always be my favorite pairing with pounded yam. But you should also try it with these equally delicious soups and stews below to complete your African meal experience. 😉

• Ogbono Soup
• Okra Stew
• African Okro Soup
• Eru
• Afang

More African Recipes to Try

• African Yam Soup
• Porridge Yams
• Chicken Tagine
• African Beef Stew
• Ethiopian Yataklete Kilkil

Watch How to Make It

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