A dense, snow-white pounded yam dough with an incredibly smooth, elastic texture, the most traditional accompaniment to Ivorian sauces.
Nutrition & Info
Equipment Needed
Presentation Guide
Vessel: calabash or plate
Accompaniments: sauce graine, sauce arachide, sauce kopè
Instructions
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1
Peel yam and cut into even cubes. Boil in salted water until very tender, about 25 minutes.
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2
Drain and transfer hot yam pieces to a mortar.
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3
Pound vigorously with a pestle, adding tiny splashes of hot water as needed.
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4
Continue pounding and folding for 10-15 minutes until the foutou is perfectly smooth and elastic.
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5
Wet hands and shape into round balls.
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6
Serve immediately with sauce graine, sauce arachide, or any Ivorian sauce.
Did You Know?
Making foutou igname is traditionally a two-person job — one pounds while the other turns and folds the dough between strikes.
Chef's Notes
Equipment Tips
- large pot
- mortar and pestle
Accompaniments
The Story Behind Foutou Igname
Yam is sacred in many Ivorian cultures, and foutou igname is the most revered form of preparing it. The yam harvest festival is one of the most important cultural events among the Baoulé and other Akan peoples, and foutou igname is the centrepiece of the feast.
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