Cassava is one of the most important food plants in Africa. It grows in tropical soils that are too poor for many other crops, which makes it invaluable. The cassava root looks a little like a pale yam or potato. Once dried and ground into flour (called gari in some regions), it can be stored for a long time without spoiling.
Making fufu traditionally involves boiling water and stirring the cassava flour in vigorously until it becomes thick and smooth – a workout for your stirring arm! The cook keeps stirring until the fufu pulls away cleanly from the sides of the pot. It is then formed into a round ball and served warm.
To eat fufu the traditional way, you pinch off a small piece, flatten it slightly in your palm, make a small dent in it and use it to scoop up a mouthful of stew or soup. No cutlery needed. Eating this way brings people together around a shared pot, which is central to Gabonese food culture.
Fufu has hundreds of regional variations across Africa. In Gabon it might be made from cassava, plantain or a mixture of both. In other countries, cooks use yam, corn or cocoyam. Each version has a slightly different taste and texture – a bit like how pasta comes in many different shapes across Italy.