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DR Congo
Fufu
The staple food of the Congo — a smooth, dense, slightly elastic dough made from cassava flour, corn flour, or sometimes plantains; rolled into golf-ball-sized balls and dipped into stews; the proper way to eat it is to pinch off a piece with the right hand, indent with the thumb, and scoop up sauce; present on all Congolese tables from north to south; the universal accompaniment.
Côte d'Ivoire
Boiled plantain and cassava, or yam alone, pounded together in a wooden mortar with a long pestle until smooth and elastic, then shaped into a ball.
Liberia
Akpu
Cassava soaked for days until it ferments, then pounded or wrapped and steamed into a soft, sour white swallow.
Guinea
Millet or fonio served with tangy sour milk in a traditional Guinean breakfast preparation.
Mali
Foutou banane
A Malian dish of mashed plantains; a staple that has spread beyond Mali to other West African countries; believed to have originated from Ivory Coast; plantains are boiled and pounded into a smooth, thick paste; served with sauces; high in vitamins and minerals; a filling and nutritious dish; popular in southern Mali.
Mali
The staple food of Mali — a stiff porridge or swallow made from millet, sorghum, or rice flour; cooked by stirring flour into boiling water until thick and smooth; eaten with the right hand and dipped into various sauces (gumbo, baobab leaf, peanut, tomato); the foundation of every Malian meal; Bambara and Dogon people eat it morning, noon, and night.