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Loading...Liberian Style Fufu is a smooth, stretchy dough made from boiled cassava, often blended with green plantain for extra body and subtle sweetness. It serves as the essential starchy companion to rich Liberian soups like palm butter or groundnut stew. The traditional hand-pounding process gives fufu its signature elastic texture that scoops up every drop of flavorful soup.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time40 mins
Total Time60 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 335 kcalCalories
- 0.5 gFat
- 0.1 gSaturated Fat
- 80 gCarbs
- 4 gFiber
- 3 gSugar
- 3 gProtein
- 510 mgSodium
- 480 mgPotassium
- 35 mgCalcium
- 0.6 mgIron
- 28 mgVitamin C
- 8 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the fufu
- 2.5 lbs fresh cassava roots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 large green (unripe) plantain, peeled and sliced into 1-inch rounds
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 4 cups water, plus more as needed
Directions
- Wear kitchen gloves when handling raw cassava, then peel away the brown skin and the tough pinkish inner fiber. Cut into roughly 2-inch chunks and rinse under cold water.
- Place the cassava chunks in a large heavy pot, cover with the 4 cups of water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook for 15 minutes.
- Add the green plantain slices to the pot and continue boiling for another 15 to 20 minutes, until both cassava and plantain are completely fork-tender and pierce easily with no resistance.
- Drain the cooked cassava and plantain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Transfer the hot mixture to a large wooden mortar or a sturdy heatproof mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle in the salt, then begin pounding with a heavy wooden pestle (or mash vigorously with a potato masher) using firm circular strokes. Add small splashes of the reserved cooking water as needed to keep the dough pliable.
- Continue pounding for 10 to 15 minutes, working the mixture until it becomes completely smooth, glossy, and elastic with no visible lumps. The fufu should pull cleanly away from the sides of the mortar and stretch like soft taffy.
- Wet your hands with cool water and shape the warm fufu into a smooth, rounded dome or oval loaf. Repeat with any remaining dough to make 4 portions.
- Serve immediately while hot alongside Liberian palm butter soup, groundnut stew, or any rich savory soup. Tear off small pieces with your fingers and use them to scoop up the soup and sauce.
Cook’s Notes
- Always peel cassava thoroughly and remove the fibrous inner core, which can be tough and unpleasant to eat.
- If you do not have a wooden mortar and pestle, a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with a dough hook can substitute, though hand pounding yields the most authentic stretchy texture.
- Fufu must be served fresh and hot; it stiffens as it cools. If it firms up, briefly reheat over low heat with a splash of water and reshape with wet hands.
- Cassava contains naturally occurring compounds that must be destroyed by thorough cooking, so ensure every piece is fully fork-tender before pounding.
- For a slightly sweeter, more traditional Liberian variation, replace the green plantain with one ripe yellow plantain or substitute cocoyam for a nuttier flavor.
