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Futali
Sweet potato groundnut mash
Futali: Malawian sweet potato or pumpkin mashed with groundnut flour
Futali is the rainy-season comfort dish of rural central Malawi, around Dedza and Kasungu, made when the sweet potatoes and pumpkins are in and the groundnut harvest is in the store. The vegetables are simmered in just enough salted water to cook them, then groundnut flour is beaten in, so the starchy liquid and peanut thicken into a soft, orange, savoury-sweet mash. It is eaten as a light lunch or breakfast on its own, or with a spoonful of tomato relish or greens on the side. Too much water is the mistake to watch for, making a soupy mash that never firms. Chef's tip: toast the groundnut flour in a dry pan for a couple of minutes first, for a deeper, roasted flavour.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ lb orange-fleshed sweet potatoesor pumpkin, or a mix; peeled and cut into 4 cm chunks
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 ½ oz ground raw peanutsgroundnut flour
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Toast 3 ½ oz ground raw peanuts in a dry frying pan over a medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it smells nutty and turns a shade darker. Tip it onto a plate.
3 minStep 2: Put 1 ¾ lb orange-fleshed sweet potatoes in a heavy saucepan with 1 ¼ cups water and 1 tsp salt. The water should come only about a third of the way up the chunks.
1 minStep 3: Bring to the boil over a high heat, then cover, turn the heat to low and simmer until the chunks crush easily against the side of the pot with a spoon.
18 minStep 4: Sprinkle the toasted groundnut flour over the potatoes and the little liquid left in the pan, without stirring. Cover and steam for 3 minutes so the flour softens.
3 minStep 5: Mash everything together firmly with a wooden spoon or potato masher over the lowest heat until smooth, thick and evenly orange-brown.
3 minStep 6: Taste for salt and serve warm.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does futali take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of orange-fleshed sweet potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
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