4 People Fufu Recipe

Bring water to boil

Pour 4 cups water and 1 tsp salt into a medium saucepan and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.

Make slurry

In a bowl, combine the cassava flour and plantain/yam flour (if using). Gradually add about 1 cup of the hot water to the flour while stirring vigorously to form a smooth slurry with no lumps.

Cook and thicken

Reduce heat to low. Gradually pour the slurry into the remaining boiling water while stirring continuously with a sturdy wooden spoon or a traditional fufu stick. Stir vigorously until mixture thickens and becomes smooth and elastic, about 5–8 minutes.

Knead to smooth

Once thick, remove from heat. Continue to beat/knead the fufu in the pot for 2–3 minutes to remove lumps and develop a smooth, stretchy texture. If too stiff, add 1–2 tbs hot water and knead; if too soft, cook 1–2 minutes more.

Portion

Wet your hands, divide the fufu into 4 equal portions, shape into rounds, and place on a plate covered with a clean towel to keep warm until ready to serve.

Prepare blended tomatoes and peppers

If using fresh tomatoes and peppers, wash and roughly chop tomatoes, bell pepper, and hot pepper. Blend until smooth and set aside.

Brown protein (if using chicken or beef)

Season the chosen protein with 1 tsp salt. In a large pot over medium-high heat, add 2 tbs oil. Add the protein and brown on all sides (about 5–7 minutes for chicken, 8–10 for beef). Remove and set aside. If using smoked fish, skip browning and flake the fish; add later.

Sauté aromatics

In the same pot, add remaining 2 tbs oil. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Add minced garlic and grated ginger and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Cook tomato base

Pour the blended tomato mixture into the pot. Add tomato paste and stir. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the raw tomato smell reduces and the mixture darkens slightly, about 10–12 minutes. Reduce heat if it splatters.

Season and simmer

Return the browned protein (or add smoked fish) to the pot. Add 1 cup water or stock, crumble in bouillon cubes, add black pepper and additional 1 tsp salt if needed. Stir to combine, bring to a gentle simmer, cover partially, and cook until protein is tender and flavors meld: about 20–25 minutes for chicken, 35–45 minutes for beef. For smoked fish, simmer 8–10 minutes to combine flavors.

Finish stew

Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in ground crayfish (if using) and chopped basil/scent leaves in the last 2 minutes of cooking. If you prefer a thicker stew, simmer uncovered a few extra minutes to reduce the liquid.

Place one fufu portion on each plate. Ladle a generous portion of the hot stew/soup with protein beside the fufu. Garnish with basil/scent leaves and a lime wedge if desired. To eat traditionally, pinch off a small amount of fufu, form into a thumb-sized ball, dip into the stew, and enjoy.