Pounded yam is a glutinous dough processed traditionally by pounding and kneading of boiled yam. It is arguably the most popular traditional yam food product in West Africa and is called iyan in Nigeria, foutou in Ivory Coast, fufu in Togo and Benin, and yam fufu in Ghana.

 Processing of pounded yam: yam tubers are peeled to remove the skin and the peeled tubers are then sliced into cylindrical pieces or cut. These pieces are then cooked in water; this usually takes about 20 to 25 minutes depending on the variety. This is usually called boiled yam. Boiled yam pieces are then put in a mortar one by one and pounded using a pestle. 

The mash is pounded and kneaded until a stretchable, glutinous dough is formed. This is pounded yam. It is served with any soup or stew according to personal choice (vegetables, groundnut, melon seed soup (egusi) etc.).

Pounded yam is commonly processed by women but men also pound yam.    

It is commonly consumed in West Africa’s yam belt: Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Benin and Ghana.