You might have heard of fufu on one or two occasions. Fufu is regarded to as a mash of any starchy food. One of the types of fufu to have ever been made is the plantain fufu. Plantain fufu is made from plantain flour. The flour is also obtained specifically from unripe plantains—the green ones. Green plantain offers a lot of health benefits to the body, and here, we will be looking at everything you need to know!
What does plantain fufu taste like?
One thing about fufu is that it is a swallow. Swallows are not supposed to be chewed. So, the taste of your plantain fufu depends heavily on the kind of stew or soup that it is eaten with. What then does plantain fufu taste like? However, if you took some time to chew on your plantain fufu, you’d notice a slight plantain flavor. However, the flavor is usually masked, and so, sometimes, you may not even taste anything.
Plantain fufu nutrition facts
For those interested in the plantain fufu nutrition facts, we will be considering a few helpful points.
- Calorie count 212
- Saturated fats 0%
- Trans fat 0g
- Cholesterol 0%
- Sodium 4%
- Potassium 7%
- Carbohydrate 16%
- Dietary fiber 12%
- Sugars 0g
- Protein 14%
The percentage values given above represent the amount of minerals that you obtain daily from plantain fufu. If we studied the values closely, we’d realize that plantain fufu lacks cholesterol. It is also quite low in sodium. The calorie count is quite fair and so, plantain fufu is great if you want to stick to healthy food consumption.
One more thing to take note of is the absence of trans fats in it. Trans fat is highly unhealthy as it increases the chances of an individual having heart diseases. Some of these heart diseases include arteriosclerosis, which is the narrowing of the arteries that are connected to the heart. So, plantain fufu is a great food to consume when it comes to maintaining the heart’s health.
How to make plantain fufu from scratch
For tips on how to make plantain fufu from scratch, follow the steps below;
1. Peel off the skin from your green plantains.
2. Dice the plantain into small bits.
3. Air-dry the bits until they are hard and completely devoid of moisture. This drying process can occur for a length of three to four days.
4. After air-drying the plantain chunks, grind them using a food processor. After grinding, you’d get very smooth flour.
5. Sieve the flour you obtained from the grinding process to get rid of any particle that may be suspended within the flour.
6. Set the flour aside.
7. Pour in water into a pot and then, set it on a cooker with medium-high heat.
8. Once the water boils (ensure that you see bubbles throughout the volume of the water), you can then proceed to add in the flour. The flour should be added in bits. As you add it, mix it with a turning stick.
If the mixture isn’t firm enough, you can add more flour. However, ensure that the mix is not too sturdy. It should still be quite flaccid. The reason for this is because the mix thickens with heat.
You should also ensure that you mix as vigorously and continuously as you can. That way, you can avoid the incidence of lumps within the plantain mix.
If the mix is too firm, add in water to it. Use the wooden stick to make some holes through the lump of plantain fufu. Then, cover the pot.
9. After a few minutes, uncover the pot and continue mixing.
10. Once the mixing is done, you can then proceed to serve. Plantain fufu is best enjoyed when it is hot.
Before we continue, let’s make a fact known. You can choose to skip the drying process. In fact, it is necessary to skip the process when you don’t have the time to keep on drying the plantain slices. Here is a method you can adopt.
1. Peel off the skin from your green plantains.
2. Dice the plantain into bits and then, place them within the bowl of your food processor.
3. Add in water to the food processor as you blend. What you get here is a paste of plantain slices.
4. Now, place a pot on a cooker with medium heat. Pour in the paste and stir with your turning stick.
5. Stir the paste until the paste forms a dough-like substance.
6. You can then proceed to wrap your plantain dough with a plastic wrapper when you are done cooking.
Plantain fufu benefits
Everyone wants to know the plantain fufu benefits, and here, we will be listing several of them. Most of them have already been discussed under the section for the nutritional benefits.
- It is rich in fiber and fiber is great for the digestive system.
It can easily be digested on consumption. Fiber also adds bulk to stool, making it easier for you to pass out feces. Another thing that fiber helps to prevent is constipation.
- It is rich with antioxidants.
Antioxidants work to destroy free radicals present in the body. What these free radicals do is to damage the body tissues and organs. So, you can do well to control them by feeding on plantain fufu.
- It helps to improve the heart’s health
This particular point was raised in the nutritional benefits of plantain fufu. Due to the low percentage of trans fat present in it, your heart gets to stay healthy. You also do not have to be prone to diseases like hypertension or heart attack.
- It is good for weight control.
One thing about plantain fufu is that it is the one swallow that does not cause weight gain. It is highly rich in fiber and polysaccharides, which increases the time it takes to be digested, compared to other swallows. Once gut motility is reduced, you stay fuller for longer, preventing you from feeding on other calorie-rich foods.