Across the African continent and its diaspora, a swallow is a starch that often begins as a grain, tuber or root that's steamed, then crushed and pounded into an elastic dough. This process renders the starch pliable enough to mold and use for scooping broth or sauce from bowl to mouth. This version is made with yam (not to be confused with a sweet potato), a magnificently large tuber that grows across tropical regions of West and Central Africa, the Caribbean and South America. The swallow goes by many names goes by many names: pounded yam or yam swallow across West and Central Africa, Ìyán in Yorùbá, igname pilée in Benin, yam fufu in Ghana and foutou in Ivory Coast. Here, the fresh yam is puréed in a blender and poured into a pot. The resulting paste is then simmered and turns into a thickened batter that is kneaded against the side of the pot. A few things to note: Fresh yam oxidizes quickly, so get it into water as soon as it's peeled and cut. Adding liquid while in the blender increases the cook time so add as little as possible. And most important, stir the slurry consistently over heat to prevent any scorching. The reward for your time will be a soft, dumpling-like yam swallow to enjoy hotalongside vegetable-rich stews like ẹ̀fọ́ riro, egusi soup, or with ọbẹ̀ onírù or any braised meat. ...read more read less