Not All Swallows are Fufu

“Not all Swallows are Fufu” Nigerian food is slowly getting the recognition it deserves. This has been evident in the “fufu and egusi” challenge that has hit the internet with a very welcome force. However, with notoriety comes responsibility in information dissemination. So I am here to state that not all swallows are fufu. Let me explain.

Swallows/Morsels or whatever compound name is native to you is a carbohydrate accompaniment for soups and stews in a number of african countries. Think of it as having mashed potatoes with gravy and a lamb shank. We prefer our carbs on our plate to be held together into a ball. It makes scooping our soups and stews easier.

There is a strong debate however about how that name came about. A number of people scoop the morsel and soup and swallow without chewing. I chew my own morsel because I just can’t imagine not chewing my food. However, a good number of people just swallow it and hope for the best, hence the name.

There are different types of swallows or morsels available on the continent. They are typically made from root vegetables of different kinds except for the modern day incorporations for health reasons. The primary sources of swallows that cut across are; Cassava, Yam, Plantain and Maize. I will share a few swallows I know and please add to the comment section anything I may have missed.

Types of Swallows

Fufu – Depending on what region or country you are from, fufu may appear different when presented for consumption. Some are smellier than others, some have a yellow tint versus a white one. One thing is certain with all fufu options, they are made from cassava. The fermentation process makes the difference in the appearance, smell and taste. If you are from the south south part of Nigeria, your fufu may be whiter and smellier than others. It will also have a strong tart taste due to the fermentation process. Other fufu options may be bland and just take on the taste of the soup or stew. The texture may not be as stretchy as other fufu options from different regions.

Pounded Yam – This is made from African yams. Boil the yam, pound it with a mortar and pestle until it has a bit of a pull but forms a cohesive smooth dough.

Garri – This is made from cassava as well. The cassava is grated, fermented and dry fried and by the time it gets to the customer, just add some hot water and make your cohesive dough. Garri also has different variations; they may be yellow because it has been fried with palm oil or it is white but not tart and some are white and tart. The version that is tart is known as Ijebu Garri in Nigeria.

Amala(Elubo) – This could be made from yams, cassava or plantain but they have to be dried and blended into a powder. It is then mixed with water over fire until a very stretchy light dough is formed.

Semo – This is typically made from semolina flour. Water is added to the flour in pot over heat and a cohesive dough is formed.

African Swallows

Kenkey – Similar to the other morsel processing methods, this is made from maize that is fermented and milled before cooking into a dough. This is a native swallow to Ghana. It has a tart taste due to the fermentation and it is typically consumed with grilled fish and a pepper salsa.

*Edit* Kenkey is not considered a swallow in Ghana

Sadza / Ugali – This is a similar morsel to Kenkey in Ghana but the fermentation makes the difference. This morsel is native to Eastern Africa. These swallow options are similar to the Mexican tamales but as earlier mentioned, fermentation or lack there of makes the difference.

Newer Swallows

In more recent times, swallows have evolved due to health reasons. People started exploring how to incorporate high fiber, low glycemic swallow options into their diets. This brought about swallows made with Oat flour, Wheat Flour, Coconut flour mixed with Psyllium Husk, Dehydrated Cabbage blended into powder and mixed with Psyllium Husk etc. The opportunities for swallows have now become endless.

*Edit* Wheat Flour has been consumed in the North for over 70 years

Now that everyone is adequately educated, I do hope we make the effort to ask what swallow exactly we are consuming as we get our introduction to Nigerian, West African or even generally African Cooking so we treat it with the appropriate respect.