Thumpy Rose I find it beautiful how as people of different nations we can share recipes and make them our own; fit them to our personal preferences. No copyright issues. No gatekeeping. Just take something like a semolina recipe and redesign it for your community or household. For example, did you know that not all food from Congo is purely Congolese cuisine? You can learn how to use cassava flour in recipes that use plantain flour and approval from the masses might make it the new way of cooking it for their region. And here, we are doing just that. Cooking a version of what was already there. Prepare to make Congo fufu.
Not all fufu is Congo fufu
To expand on what was written above, the Congolese cuisine that is fufu is not originally a food from Congo. Fufu originated from Ghana, from the Akans. Now it is more known as a West African way of how to use cassava flour, rather than just being a Ghana recipe. In Congo, it is a recette semoule, which is fancy for semolina recipe. Well maybe not fancy, but it’s French… that’s something. Not that you need to make fufu sound any more exciting. This simple semoule fufu is one of the most popular swallow foods today, up there with ugali.
But what makes the fufu recipes differ? Simple answer: the flour used. In Congo fufu, they like to make semoule fufu. In Ghana, they tend to use plantain flour. It can also be made as a good example of how to use cassava flour, though. But in Congolese cuisine, the semolina recipe or method makes it stand out. And this is also because of the many amazing things semoule fufu does to your health.
Related: Congolese Soya ya moambe
Semoule Fufu taste
Semoule fufu taste slightly sweet (very faint) and buttery smooth due to the semolina. I laugh at myself when I describe certain foods constantly as light. The overall effect on your body is you feel feather light after you eat this. Semoule fufu will fill your stomach but not in a way where you feel sleepy after eating. I felt energize and was satiated for hours. As someone who chews fufu ( they wont dare revoke my village card!), I enjoy tasting the plant aspect. Compared to pure cassava, I love having a more nutritious fufu. This and ugali are becoming my new favorite staples.
Congo fufu benefits
You may have heard of a semolina recipe before. Apart from being a food from Congo, it can be used all the way up in the North, in Moroccan flatbread called Batbout. We talk more about it in this article here. So now you know two ways for how to use cassava flour or semolina, all you need are the benefits.
Why Congo fufu is a top protein starchy staple
Semolina flour was compared to cassava flour in a study and found that the protein content is about 12 times higher, making it a top protein and starch must-have. The protein is great for your cell formation and health. The protein content also makes the dough easier to work with, giving another difference in types of fufu. The Congo fufu is more elastic and will stick less to your hands. (Because you HAVE TO eat it with your hands, it’s finger food!). The starch on the other hand probably contributes to the popularity of this fine Congolese cuisine. It is called a swallow food because you aren’t supposed to chew it. This makes you full longer, and you can go about your day.
Want to know what to eat fufu with? A good stew like this Liberian soup will do. Just eat it like ugali or rice.
No need to know how to use cassava flour
If you prefer your fufu easy-made, try cassava flour. If you like it easy and nutritious, try a recette semoule. I’m not saying one is better in flavor than the other. In fact, I’ll change direction completely and remind you to be happy you didn’t need a mortar and pestle to make this food in Congo. We want to take you on an African food tour and would love to hear back from you. Curious about a no-animal-meat food lifestyle? Check out our Instagram page for real-life inspirations. Comment down below which flour or method of making congo fufu you prefer, and leave a like after subscribing. Au revoir!
Light Semoule recipe- Congo fufu
Get to know Congo through this light and lovely recipe. Semoule fufu taste faintly sweet and buttery smooth due to the semolina. Some swallow it but you can chew this delicacy too!
Ingredients
- 1 cup course semolina ( not the fine flour)
- 1/8 (half of 1/4th) cup cassava flour
- 1/2 -1 cup of water
- Strength & determination
Instructions
First, add the semolina in a medium size cooking pot and mix in the cassava flour. My personal easy method is to mix the cassava and the semolina together first. Other people cook it differently by adding the cassava flour while the semolina is cooking. I am afraid it will get lumpy and I don’t want to work hard to remove lumps.
Next, add half cup of water to the semolina and cassava flour mixture and stir it until the water is incorporated. What you want is a thick paste to begin with and you will add water gradually. If you like thicker fufu, use 1/2 cup of water. If you like medium thickness, add 0.75cup of water. Set your pot on medium-low heat to begin cooking. You should not walk away from this because it cooks fast. Notice as the semoule fufu boils, the color changes from light to deeper color. You want to stir from the bottom so use the folding technique: fold the semoule fufu into itself each time you stir.
Caution, you will sweat a little. As the semoule fufu thickens, it becomes harder to stir so use a cooking cloth to hold the hot pot in place while you stir with your other hand. Continue to stir as it cooks and reduce the heat to low after 5 minutes. If you like your fufu softer, add a little bit more of the remaining water. Observe how soft you want it before putting in more water. You want fufu, not porridge.
To clean your semoule fufu cooking spoon, take a small bowl of water and dip a clean spoon in the water. Use that dipped spoon to clean the cooking spoon. Stay tuned for the video instructions.
After 10 minutes of stirring using the folding method, your semoule fufu should have a deeper color which means it is cooked. Congrats! You have good arm strength if you cooked this food.
Notes
Note, this portion can be one serving for a hungry man/woman. For the average eater, it is 1.5 to 2 servings.
