Where it comes from
Foo foo (spelled various ways across West Africa) is the universal pounded-starch dish. The Sierra Leonean version typically uses cassava, often combined with plantain.
On the plate
Sierra Leonean foo foo — pale, smooth, elastic. Tear and dip into cassava leaves: the foo foo soaks up the leaf-stew's flavors. The West African pounded-starch tradition.
How it works
Long pounding develops the elastic texture. Hot temperature during pounding is essential.
Variations
Cassava-only. With more plantain. With yam added.
On the Palate
Ingredients
Serves 4How it's made
5 steps · Show ↓45 min active · 30 min waiting
How it's made
5 steps · Show ↓- 16 min
Peel 1.2 kg cassava + 2 green plantains. Cut into chunks.
- 228 min
Boil in salted water 25-30 min until tender. Drain.
- 322 min
Pound hot in a mortar with wooden pestle 20 min, adding splashes of water, until smooth and elastic.
- 44 min
Shape into mounds with a wet spoon.
- 53 min
Serve hot with cassava leaves, plasas, groundnut soup, or pepper soup. Tear, dip, swallow.
