Favorite Local Dish In Ghana – Fufu

Do you try local dishes when you travel? I tried Fufu and it was lush. Absolutely delicious.

What is Fufu? Goat meat and cassava with a sauce that set my mouth on fire. Fufu is one of those dishes that every Ghanian child eats and every Ghanian woman knows how to prepare.

Before you can start eating you are expected to rinse your hands as this meal has to be eaten with your fingers.

That hand belongs to Stephen, our driver who showed me how to eat Fufu.

He showed me how to scoop up the meat, the cassava and the juice without making a mess. He did it like a pro and me? Well…

I kept wanting to use both hands but Stephen told me I was to only use one hand.  Like my nail polish? 

Here I go!

The goat meat was extremely hot and my fingers were burning but it smelled so good I couldn’t even think about putting it down.

See? I kept trying to use two hands. It was very different to only use one hand to eat and to not use any utensils.

Oh yeah, you can lick your fingers. It’s totally acceptable which was right up my alley.

Does it look like I enjoyed it?

Oh my goodness it was delicious.

As I was eating my eyes were watering and my mouth was on fire but I wouldn’t stop eating which is why I’m laughing. My mom was snapping pictures and was amazed that I wouldn’t put the meat down even though my fingers and my mouth were burning.

Whether it’s fine dining or eating with my fingers, I just love good food.

Can you see how my left hand (which is actually the hand on the right in the bottom pic) is wrinkled? That’s from the sauce and the heat.

On the table was a bottle of liquid soap which you use to wash your hands after you finish eating.

The only drawback to this meal was that I ran out of meat before I finished the cassava so I had to stop eating. I really wanted some more because even though my mouth was on fire and my eyes were dripping tears, I was ready for more. It was seasoned perfectly and it was especially nice to share a local meal with our Ghanian taxi driver.

Have you ever tried Fufu? Do you try local favorites when you travel?