Pounded Yam
Photo: Bukky658, CC BY-SA 4.0
Pounded yam is a Nigerian swallow made from nothing more than boiled yam and a lot of pounding. Its smooth, stretchy texture is the whole point, and it comes from working the cooked tuber in a mortar until no lumps remain. You tear off a piece, shape it in your hand, and use it to scoop up a rich soup. With only two ingredients, the yam has to be good.
Instructions
Cut the yam into pieces and rinse them well under running water.
Put the yam in a pot and pour in enough water to cover the pieces completely. Put the lid on the pot.
Cook for about 25 minutes, until a knife slides into the yam easily and the pieces are tender.
Take the pot off the heat and drain off all the water.
Rinse the mortar and pestle, then put the hot cooked yam into the mortar. Pound with the pestle until the yam turns into a smooth, stretchy paste with no visible lumps.
Divide the pounded yam into portions, about 4 to 5, and wrap each one so it stays together.
Serve with the soup of your choice.
Make it personal.
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