Foutou Banane (Ivorian Pounded Plantain and Cassava)
Local name: Foutou banane
In short: Boiled green plantain and cassava pounded into a smooth, stretchy dough and shaped into balls, to be dipped into soups and sauces. It takes about 1 h 5 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 h 5 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 260 kcal
Foutou banane is the pounded plantain and cassava dough that Ivorians eat with soups and sauces, most often sauce graine or sauce claire. Boiled green plantain and cassava are pounded in a big wooden mortar until smooth and stretchy, then shaped into balls. You tear off a small piece, dip it in the sauce and swallow it. A food processor gives a good home version in a fraction of the time.
Instructions
- Trim the ends of the plantains, slit the skin and peel. Cut the cassava into chunks and remove the woody core from the center of each piece.
- Put the plantains and cassava in a large pot, cover with water, add the salt and bring to a boil. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes until both are very soft when pierced.
- Drain, keeping a cup of the cooking water. Cassava must be cooked through, so make sure there are no hard spots.
- Pound the hot plantain and cassava in a large mortar, a little at a time, adding splashes of the warm cooking water, until the dough is completely smooth and stretchy.
- Or, process the hot pieces in a food processor in 3 or 4 batches with 60 ml (1/4 cup) of the cooking water each, pulsing and scraping until smooth and elastic, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- With wet hands, shape the dough into 6 smooth balls. Serve at once in bowls with sauce spooned around them.
Tips
- Work while the plantain and cassava are hot. Cold pieces turn lumpy and never become smooth.
- Keep the foutou warm in a covered bowl or reheat it by steaming. It stiffens as it cools.
Questions and answers
How do you eat foutou?
Pinch off a small piece with your right hand, press a dent in it, scoop up some sauce and swallow it. Most people do not chew foutou.
Can I use ripe plantains?
A little ripe plantain adds sweetness, but too much makes the dough sticky. Use mostly green plantains, with at most one ripe one.
Is it safe to eat cassava?
Yes, when it is peeled and boiled until completely soft. Never eat cassava raw.
How long does it take to make Foutou Banane (Ivorian Pounded Plantain and Cassava)?
About 1 h 5 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 40 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Foutou Banane (Ivorian Pounded Plantain and Cassava)?
About 260 kcal per serving, with 2 g of protein, 61 g of carbohydrates and 0 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 260 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 61 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Sodium | 190 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
