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Nigerian · West African

Pounded yam

Vegetarian

Iyán

Boiled white yam pounded until smooth, stretchy and elastic. The prized 'swallow' of southern Nigeria, pinched off by hand and used to scoop up soups.

Pounded yam is a Nigerian side dish, ready in about 40 minutes and made with yam (ñame). It serves 4 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
25 min
Total
40 min
Serves
4
Level
Intermediate
Calories
295

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Rinse the yam (opens in a new tab) slices and boil them in the water until a knife slides through easily but they are not falling apart.

    Wear gloves when peeling — raw yam can irritate the skin.

  2. Step 2

    Drain, keeping a cup of the cooking water. While still very hot, pound the yam (opens in a new tab) in a large mortar (or pulse in a food processor (opens in a new tab) or stand mixer with a dough hook).

  3. Step 3

    Keep pounding, adding a spoonful of hot cooking water at a time, until the yam (opens in a new tab) is completely smooth, stretchy and free of lumps.

    • 4 min

  4. Step 4

    Wet your hands, shape the pounded yam (opens in a new tab) into balls and wrap in cling film or serve immediately alongside soup.

    • 2 min
    A finished dish being plated
    How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Nigeria · Well documentedMost associated with the Yoruba, though eaten throughout southern Nigeria and in Ghana and Benin.Also popular in Ghana, BeninMore food from Nigeria
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Side dishes
Cooking method
Boiled
Taste
mild, earthy
Diet
Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-fibre
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · Paleo-style · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-fibre · Low-fat · Low-sodium · DASH-style
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Budget-friendly · Everyday
Cook more with
Yam (ñame)
Techniques
Boiling

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

295 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 250 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 5%
  • Carbohydrate 94%
  • Fat 1%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g
Energy295 kcal118 kcal
Protein3.8 g1.5 g
Carbohydrate69.7 g27.9 g
Net carbohydrate59.5 g23.8 g
Sugars1.3 g0.5 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre10.3 g4.1 g
Fat0.4 g0.2 g
Saturated fat0.1 g0 g
Trans fat0 g0 g
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium30 mg12 mg
Salt equivalent0.1 g0 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
2040 mg
Calcium
80 mg
Iron
1.4 mg
Magnesium
60 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
18 µg
Vitamin C
43 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
58 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: salt.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Pound while the yam is piping hot — once it cools it turns lumpy and will not stretch.

Common mistakes

  • Adding too much water at once gives a sticky, loose mass.

Serve with

  • Serve with egusi soup, efo riro, ogbono or okra soup.

Storage

  • Best fresh; wrapped tightly it keeps for a few hours.

Reheating

  • Microwave wrapped, then knead briefly to restore the texture.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

  • Yam (ñame), peeled, cut into thick slices1 kg · 1000 g
Used in steps 1, 2

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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