How to make pounded yam
Pounded yam — iyan in Yoruba — is traditionally made by boiling yam and pounding it in a large mortar until it is smooth and elastic. It is the swallow most Nigerians save for special meals.
Poundo yam flour makes the same dish in a pot in about ten minutes, which is how most people in the UK make it. The trick is vigorous stirring and a short steam at the end.
- Prep
- 2 mins
- Cook
- 8 mins
- Total
- 10 mins
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
- 500ml water
- about 250g poundo yam flour
Method
- Bring the water to the boil in a medium saucepan, then turn the heat down to low.
- Add the poundo yam flour gradually, a little at a time, stirring vigorously with a wooden spatula as you go.
- Keep stirring and pressing the dough against the side of the pot to break up any lumps. It will thicken quickly.
- If it becomes too stiff to stir, add a few tablespoons of hot water.
- Make a well in the middle of the dough, pour in 2–3 tablespoons of hot water, cover the pot and leave it on the low heat for 2–3 minutes.
- Uncover and stir hard again for a minute, folding the dough over itself until it is smooth and stretchy.
- Wet a small bowl or a piece of cling film, shape the pounded yam into portions and serve hot with soup.
Tips
- Brands absorb water differently. Check the pack for the maker’s suggested ratio and use this as a starting point.
- The short covered steam at step 5 is what removes the floury taste — do not skip it.
- A flat wooden spatula (omorogun) works far better than a spoon.
Ingredients from our shop
- Africa King Pounded Iyan — Africa King Pounded Iyan.
- Olu Olu Poundo Iyan Pounded Yam Flour 4kg — Olu Olu Poundo Iyan, a 4kg bag.
Check the allergen information on each product page and on the pack before cooking.
Questions
Is poundo yam the same as pounded yam?
Poundo yam is a flour made from dried yam that is cooked into pounded yam with hot water. The finished dish looks and is eaten the same way as traditionally pounded yam, and takes minutes instead of an hour.
How do I stop pounded yam going lumpy?
Add the flour gradually to water that is already boiling, stir hard the whole time, and finish with a short covered steam. Lumps form when too much flour goes in at once.
What soup goes with pounded yam?
Egusi is the classic pairing. Efo riro, okra, ogbono and banga soup are also common.