Foutou

About This Recipe

Foutou is the Ivorian term for fufu — the ubiquitous pounded starchy staple of West and Central African cooking. In Côte d'Ivoire it is most often made from a combination of plantain and yam, pounded together until smooth and elastic, then shaped into balls and served with soups and stews. The most beloved accompaniment is a rich groundnut (peanut) sauce often enriched with smoked fish, tomatoes, and palm oil. In Ivorian households, the rhythmic sound of the pounding mortar is the signal that a family meal is being prepared — foutou is comfort food at its most fundamental.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 600 gwhite yam, peeled and cubed
• 2 largeunripe green plantains, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1.5 cupsraw peanuts (or 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter)
• 3 mediumtomatoes, blended
• 1 largeonion, diced
• 3 clovesgarlic, minced
• 200 gsmoked fish, flaked and bones removed
• 3 tbsppalm oil
• 2 tbspground crayfish
• 1 cubeMaggi seasoning cube
• 2 cupswater
• 1 tspsalt
• 1/2 tspchilli flakes

Instructions

1. 1

   Boil yam and plantain

   Place yam and plantain in a pot, cover with salted water, and boil for 20–25 minutes until both are completely tender when pierced with a knife.

2. 2

   Pound to foutou

   Drain yam and plantain. Transfer in batches to a mortar and pound vigorously, gradually incorporating them together, until completely smooth and elastic with no lumps. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook. Wet hands to shape into balls.

3. 3

   Make peanut paste

   If using raw peanuts, dry-toast and blend with 1/2 cup water until very smooth. If using peanut butter, skip this step.

4. 4

   Build the peanut sauce

   Heat palm oil in a pot over medium heat. Fry onion until golden, 5 minutes. Add garlic, cook 1 minute. Pour in blended tomatoes and cook down for 8 minutes. Add peanut paste, crayfish, Maggi, and chilli. Stir well.

5. 5

   Simmer and add fish

   Pour in 2 cups water and stir. Simmer for 15 minutes until sauce thickens and oil floats to the surface. Stir in smoked fish and cook a further 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning.

6. 6

   Serve

   Place foutou balls in bowls and ladle peanut sauce generously over or alongside.

Variations

• •

  Make foutou entirely from plantain for a sweeter, more yielding texture.

• •

  Serve with palm nut soup (sauce graine) instead of peanut sauce.

• •

  Add chicken to the peanut sauce for a more substantial main.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Foutou is best freshly pounded. Peanut sauce keeps refrigerated for 4 days or frozen for 2 months. Reheat sauce over low heat with a splash of water.

Frequently Asked Questions