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Welcome to Celtnet's Yam-based Recipes Page — The yam is an African or Asian tuber that's used as a starchy staple, particularly to accompany West African 'soups' (ie stews). It is also available in just about every African/Caribbean market in the West. The description and images below give a brief description of the plant and its tubers.

Here you will find information about yam plants and the uses of the starchy tubers as food, as well as seeing the web's largest collection of yam-based recipes.

Information on the Yam Plant
yams and yam plants

The word 'yam' is ultimately derived from the Senegalese Wolof word nyam (literally 'to sample' or 'to taste') which entered Portuguese as inhame and Spanish as ñame. It is the common name for various edible tubers in the genus Dioscorea (of the Dioscoreaceae family), a group of perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania. Yams are a primary agricultural commodity in West Africa and New Guinea and evidence suggests that were first cultivated in Africa and Asia about 8000 BCE. Today, Nigeria is the world's largest producer of Yams and the starchy tuber was, historically, highly regarded in Nigerian ceremonial culture and used as a vegetable offered during blessings. Even today, the yam is of central importance to Nigerian Igbo culture (in the Igbo language it is known as ji) and it is honoured in yam festivals known as Iri-ji or Iwa-Ji depending on the dialect.

African yams, however, contain various substances that, if consumed raw, can cause illness. As a result all African yams must be cooked to render them safe before consumption. Typically they are peeled, cubed and boiled. The yam is then either mashed (as would be done for potatoes) or it is pounded in a mortar until smooth (this dish is known as iyan and served as a starch base to accompany African-style soups. Yam is also rendered into flour and this is mixed with water until smooth and cooked until thickened before being served as a starchy accompaniment. In Nigeria yam is also sun-dried, where the pieces turn brown. They are then milled to create a powder known as "elubo" in Nigeria. The brown powder can be prepared with boiling water to create a thick brown starchy paste known as 'amala'. Yam can also be boiled with plantains before being drained, mashed and served. This is often prepared for children, particularly in Liberia. The most commonly cultivated species are Dioscorea rotundata, the 'white yam', and Dioscorea cayenensis, the 'yellow yam' (between them, however, there are more than 200 known cultivated varieties).

In Asia, it is the purple yam, Dioscorea alata that is most commonly eaten and it is typically made into sweet desserts and/or perserves.

The purple yam is also grown in Africa, where it is known as the 'water yam' but it is most commonly grated and boiled as an addition to stews or starchy bases.

Yam is also eaten in Central India, where it is typically finely sliced, seasoned with spices and deep fried. In southern parts of India, the vegetable is a popular accompaniment to fish curry. In Assam, it is known as Kosu (কচু) and is normally boiled, mashed and lightly seasoned with salt before being served as an accompaniment.


Yam -based Recipes

Alphabetical list of yam-based recipes follow (limited to 100 recipes per page). There are 77 recipes in total:


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Nkontommire
(Palaver 'Sauce')
     Origin: West Africa
Efere Usung Udia
     Origin: Nigeria
Pork and Yam Pepper Soup
     Origin: Nigeria
Afia Efere
(White Soup)
     Origin: Nigeria
Ekoki
     Origin: Cameroon
Pounded Yam Fufu
     Origin: Ghana
Afia Efere Ebot
(White Soup with Goat Meat)
     Origin: Nigeria
Ekpang Nkukwo
     Origin: Nigeria
Ragoût Béninoise
(Beninese Ragout)
     Origin: Benin
Afia Efere Unen
(White Soup with Chicken)
     Origin: Nigeria
Elubo
(Yam Flour)
     Origin: Nigeria
Riz Senegalais
(Senegalese Rice)
     Origin: Senegal
Afia Efere Uyayak
(White Soup with Aidan Fruit)
     Origin: Nigeria
Ewa-Ebe
     Origin: Nigeria
Safari Steak
     Origin: Kenya
African Curried Peanut Soup
     Origin: South Africa
Fried Yam Chips
     Origin: Nigeria
Sancoche
     Origin: Trinidad
Amala
     Origin: Nigeria
Hervido de pescado
(Boiled Fish with Vegetables)
     Origin: Costa Rica
Smoked Fish with Tomato and Yam
     Origin: Nigeria
Amala and Ewedu
     Origin: Nigeria
Igname Frite
(Guinean Fried Yams)
     Origin: Guinea
Special Yam Pottage
     Origin: Nigeria
Arvi aur Gosht ka Khatta Salan
(Taro Roots and Lamb in a Tangy Sauce)
     Origin: India
Ikokore
     Origin: Nigeria
Spicy West African Yam Soup
     Origin: West Africa
Asaro
(Yam Stew)
     Origin: Nigeria
Isu
(Boiled Yams)
     Origin: Nigeria
Squash and Yam Futari
     Origin: Tanzania
Asaro II
(Yam Porridge)
     Origin: Nigeria
Iwuk Efere
     Origin: Nigeria
Turkey Curry with Yams
     Origin: Fusion
Ashanti Chicken
     Origin: Ghana
Iyan
(Pounded Yam)
     Origin: Nigeria
Vegetable Leaves and Yams
     Origin: Central African Republic
Baked Fish with Yam Stuffing
     Origin: Jamaica
Khanom Jeen Nam Ya
(Khanom Jeen Noodles)
     Origin: Thailand
Velouté d'Ignames
(Cream of Yam Soup)
     Origin: Cote dIvoire
Bayou Yam Muffins
     Origin: Cajun
Kokoro II
     Origin: Nigeria
Yam and Beans
     Origin: Nigeria
Cachupa Rica
     Origin: Cape Verde
Nigerian Fish Cakes
     Origin: Nigeria
Yam and Cashew Nut Loaf
     Origin: American
Caldo de Peixe II
(Cape Verdean Fish Stew II)
     Origin: Cape Verde
Obe Ewekoko
(Cocoyam Leaf Soup)
     Origin: Nigeria
Yam and Greens Porridge
     Origin: Nigeria
Carne Gizado
(Stewed Meat and Vegetables)
     Origin: Cape Verde
Ofe-Owerri Soup
     Origin: Nigeria
Yam Balls
     Origin: West Africa
Cassava and Plantain Mash
     Origin: African Fusion
Ofobo Nmong Efere
(Yam Pepperpot)
     Origin: Nigeria
Yam FuFu
     Origin: West Africa
Cassava Soup
     Origin: Liberia
Ojojo
     Origin: Nigeria
Yam Paste with Ginkgo Nuts
     Origin: China
Chicken Curry with Yams
     Origin: Fusion
Ojojo II
     Origin: Nigeria
Yam Peanut and Chilli Loaf
     Origin: Liberia
Cocoyam Pottage
     Origin: Nigeria
Okru Awon
     Origin: Nigeria
Yam Soup
     Origin: Nigeria
Domoda
     Origin: Gambia
Onunu
     Origin: Nigeria
Yam Spice Bars
     Origin: African Fusion
Domoda Sénégales
(Senegalese Domoda)
     Origin: Senegal
Oto
(Mashed Yams with Eggs)
     Origin: Ghana
Yam with Greens, Onion, and Okra
     Origin: Nigeria
Dundu
     Origin: Nigeria
Peanut Stuffing for Roast Chicken
     Origin: West Africa
Yam, Cassava and Plantain Pizza Base
     Origin: African Fusion
Dundu Oniyeri
     Origin: West Africa
Pigeon and Wolfberry Stew
     Origin: China
Yams with Tomatoes
     Origin: Cote dIvoire
Dundun Oniyeri
(Fried Yam)
     Origin: Nigeria
Poisson au Lait de Coco
(Fish in Coconut Milk)
     Origin: Cote dIvoire

Page 1 of 1





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