Pounded yam

Pounded yam

Pounded yam
Type	Swallow
Place of origin	Nigeria
Region or state	Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba.
Serving temperature	Warm
Main ingredients	Yam Water
Ingredients generally used	Salt
Media: Pounded yam

Pounded yam (Yoruba: iyánlisten^ⓘ, Hausa: sakwara, Igbo: utara-ji Listen^ⓘ) is a Nigerian swallow or okele food.¹² It is commonly prepared by pounding boiled yam with a mortar and pestle.³⁴ Pounded yam is similar to mashed potatoes but heavier in consistency. It is smooth and eaten with the hands.⁵

It can be served with egusi soup, jute leaves soup (ewedu), stewed spinach (efo riro), okra soup, ofe akwu (palmnut soup), ofe nsala (white soup), and others.⁶

It is prepared by pounding boiled yam with a mortar and pestle, yam grinder, food processor or mixer.⁷⁸ The type of yam used for pounded yam is the African yam also known as puna yam, true yam or white yam.⁹ The texture is rough with brown skin and off-white flesh with its length similar to regular potatoes up to five feet long. African yam is rich in carbohydrates and calories.¹⁰¹¹

Pounded yam is eaten with okro soup, ẹ̀fọ́ rírò, banga soup (ofe akwu), ogbono, gbẹ̀gìrì soup and Egusi soup.¹²¹³

A variation of pounded yam peculiar to Ile-Ife is known as iyan gbere. This version of the dish incorporates the African breadfruit (Treculia africana).¹⁴ To prepare iyan gbere, the African breadfruit is first cooked until it is soft. It is then pounded or blended to create a smooth, dough-like consistency. This breadfruit paste is combined with the traditional yam paste used in iyan.¹⁵¹⁶ Iyan gbere is served with Nigerian soups such as egusi or okra soup. The addition of the African breadfruit gives the dish a distinct taste and nutritional profile.¹⁷