GHANA RECIPES (YAM FUFU WITH FRESH FISH SOUP)

YAM fufu and fresh fish soup is one of the delicious meals that brings back fond memories of growing up in Awudome(in the Volta region of Ghana). You can enjoy this meal with Cocoyam, Cassava, Plantain, or a blend of Yam cooked on the side to make yam fufu.

 Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds fresh fish

1 tuber of Yam 

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 medium size onions (plus a quarter for spicing fish)

6 - 8 medium size tomatoes

3 large garden eggs

1/2 cup cooking oil

1 handful pepper (kpakpo shito)

3 cloves garlic

Black pepper

Salt

1. The fish can be scaled and cut to the sizes of your choice. The fishmonger can do this depending on where you buy it. Wash and drain the fish, then mash or blend the garlic, onions and 5 peppers till you have a paste. Add a pinch of black pepper and about half a teaspoon of salt to the paste and mix in the fish gently so it doesn't fall apart.

2. About 10 minutes, heat the oil in a frying pan. When the oil heats, put the flour in a plate and lightly coat the fish. When the oil is hot enough, gently place the fish in it.

3. Fry the fish till it turns golden brown. Drain on paper towels to soak up any excess oil. As you fry the fish, place the onions, tomatoes, garden eggs and pepper in a pot and add 1 litre of water, cover and boil. Boil for about 10 minutes.

4. Then cook the tomatoes, peppers, garden eggs and last, the onions. If overcooked, the tomatoes will break up, releasing their seeds in the soup, which is not proper.

5. Take a ladle to scoop out the tomatoes and pepper then blend. Use a sieve to strain the puree back into the pot. The only thing that will be left is the skin and seeds in the sieve, check if the garden eggs are cooked. You want them soggy, so when the skin starts to look transparent and like it is seperating from the flesh, it is cooked. Remove the garden eggs from the pot and put them in cold water. Peel off the skin and remove the seeds.

6. Blend into a fine paste, add to the boiling pot. If the onions are soft enough to run a fork through, break them into chunks and blend. The garden egg and onion puree don't need to be strained, this gives the soup its thickness. Keep the pot boiling throughout.

7. Cover and boil for 5 minutes, then add the fish. Add salt and reduce heat till the soup is boiling gently.

HOW TO PREPARE  THE  YAM

1. Peel the Yam tube and cut into fist sized pieces. Wash it thoroughly to get all the sand off. Place on a pot, add enough water to cover the Yam and boil. Boil until a fork goes through easily and the yam is fluffy. Drain off the water but keep covered to retain the heat.

2. Wash the fufu mortar and pestle with warm water. Don't use soap just before using since wood absorbs the soap and transfers it to the food. Get a bowl with clean water and a low kitchen stool and with very clean hands, you are set.

3. Place the hot pieces of Yam into the mortar, one at a time and pound it into a fluffy powdery mass before adding the next piece. When half the pieces have been added, start to turn the yam which should be getting sticky by now, with your right hand .

4. Divide the yam into 2 or 3 batches, so you don't overload the mortar. This depends on the quantity you are preparing.

5.When the yam mass is sticky enough to be shaped into a ball, it is ready, although, if you’re the type that likes soft ones, that means you need to pound till the desired softness (the more/harder you pound, the softer it gets).

6. Shape it into a neat ball or oval, place in a soup dish and serve with hot soup. To enjoy this soup, use your fingers, but a spoon will work just as well