The fufu, stew and goat were delicious, but boy, was it spicy! My lips started to prickle. I sucked air into my mouth. I gulped down two bottles of water. Still, I was smiling because I was eating with friends!
Fufu is prepared by pounding yam, cassava or plantains with water. First, the crops are peeled and boiled until they become soft. Then, they are placed in a large bowl for pounding. One person pounds the ingredients with a long, wooden stick. The other person stirs the dough with their hands. The two people must find a rhythm to make sure no fingers are smashed! (Watch here!)
As we ate, I asked my friends, "Does fufu taste different in Northern Ghana?" They nodded. "Yes," Prince said. "In Southern Ghana, people use plantains to make fufu. But in Northern Ghana, yam is a popular ingredient. So, they use it to make fufu."
In West Africa, yams are long and brown. Their skin feels like the trunk of a tree. In the market, I can buy one yam for 15 cedis, (about $1 USD). Yam can be fried and boiled. Yam can also be ground to make fufu. When eaten alone, it tastes delicious with yaji. Yaji is a reddish-brown seasoning made from fried peanuts.
Yam is an important crop in Northern Ghana. In the market, it is common to see people selling yams in silver bowls or at stalls. Trucks overflowing with yams drive to and fro on the streets. Sometimes, students report to school late because they stay home to help their parents with the harvest.
