Ugali is to us in East Africa what Fufu is to Nigerians. There are similarities between these two options. However, they are also different in some ways. For this piece, Ugali vs. Fufu shows you everything regarding these two major meal choices.
They may look similar, but the ingredients and how to make it will differ, as shown below.
Understanding the basics
Ugali
Although it is popular today in different African countries, it is a household sensation in East Africa. There are different versions of Ugali, but the dominant one is the one we make using maize. I prefer the unsifted maize flour ugali since it’s rich in nutrients.
Some people prefer to make it using cassava flour that you mix with sorghum or millet. Some others use maize and cassava flour, while others use cassava flour to make it. Ugali is generally healthy, especially when you use whole-grain maize or cassava.
One thing to mention is that the primary flour we use to make ugali will vary based on the region you come from.
Fufu
Fufu is one of the most common meals in West and Central Africa although it looks like Ugali, the ingredients that make it vary, and its texture is different, but also from the method we use to make it.
Therefore, you can use yam, cassava, or plantain to make Fufu. In some instances, we have a mix of the ingredients. They boil the yam or cassava until it’s perfectly soft, then pound it to create a dough-like consistency.
The differences
1. The ingredients
The major difference here (Ugali vs. Fufu) is the ingredients we use to make them. You mostly need flour( Maize, cassava, and sourgum/millet) for Ugali. It must be the flour form, not in its whole nature.
For the Fufu, you will need the whole yam, cassava, plantain, or a mix of the three. They use the complete form of the root vegetable.
2. The cooking method
Of course, the cooking method varies because they are from different regions of Africa.
For ugali, you will have your water boiled and then add the flour into portions to make a thicker or stiffer consistency forming a dough-like item. It comes from the porridge-like filling. It will be more rigid than the regular porridge when fully cooked.
You must boil the root vegetable for the Fufu until its nicely soft. Once you are done with this step, then the pounding begins. They pound the yam in the motor and pestle. Keep on hitting it until it’s smooth in texture. Then it’s ready to eat.
3. The texture
Generally, Ugali, especially the ones we make using maize flour, has a denser, thicker consistency than the Fufu. However, if you’re making the ugali with cassava and millet, it will have the same texture and consistency as Fufu.
Also, the Fufu has a stretchy and elastic texture after the pounding. If you didn’t add the maize flour, the cassava and millet ugali have the same flexible and stretchy surface.
4. Time to prepare it
Ugali takes a much shorter time to prepare than Fufu. With Fufu, you will take longer during the pounding. However, when making the ugali, you only have to add the maize flour to the boiling water and keep the string until you get the right texture.
5. The taste
I’m afraid I have to disagree with most who say ugali is tasteless because you only used refined maize flour, where they removed all the essential parts of the maize grain. If you go for the ones that use whole maize flour, then it’s rich.
Whole maize grain ugali has a mild sweetness to it. We would refer to it as a tasty meal that you have to use another veggie to make it better. If you use cassava flour, it will taste slightly sour.
For some people, ugali is just bland, but it will surely be delicious when you learn to eat it with veggies.
Fufu, on the other hand, is generally slightly sour tasting. It blends in both bitter and sweet tastes. For some people, you may say it’s bland, but it’s not. Bottomline, like Ugali above, learns to eat it right to enjoy.
6. Is it dense?
Ugali is denser than Fufu, but both are just filling, and you must use it with other veggies and meats.
Are Ugali and Fufu similar in any way?
We initially mentioned that the two may have a few similarities.
How to eat
This is what makes the two more similar. When eating Fufu or ugali, you need some vegetable and meat sauce or what West Africans call vegetable soup.
For us in Kenya, you will have the people taking the ugali with nyama choma, traditional fish, or even different traditional vegetables.
The preparation
Although one uses a pounding method to make it, and the other only needs string, they both start with boiling water.
The texture
The texture may be the same depending on the type of ugali you are eating. The cassava ugali, like Fufu, is stretchy and elastic. I know the most common ugali is still maize flour, but if you take the cassava one, you attain the fufu texture.
The appearance
They almost look the same even though it’s not. If you used the maize flour, it would also be as white as Fufu.
How should you eat the Fufu and ugali?
There’s an art of eating this meal. You don’t need to use spoons or chopsticks. Take a small portion, then roll it in your hands before dipping it in the sauce. Also, pick the vegetables and meats in your mouth with the Fufu or ugali.
One more thing, remember to use your right hand, as using the left hand is rude.
What to eat with Fufu
You can eat it with the African soups and stews. Usually, this comes in with a blend of other ingredients, including bitter leaves, fish, and some meat form. There is a way to make it with even melon or mango seeds. You can also use the Okra meat or fish as a side dish to Fufu.
What to eat with Ugali
The most common one is where you eat it with vegetables and meats, but you can also eat it with fish, I mean the different types of fish, or use Mursik as a side dish to the Ugali.
The list is endless on what you can eat with ugali. You could even take the African egusi soup they use with Fufu and use ugali.
Is Ugali Corn Fufu?
At this point, I know you can answer the question. The result may look similar, but the preparation method is very different. I wouldn’t refer to it as corn fufu because it’s different. Ugali is just Ugali, and then Fufu is just Fufu.
Which one is better (Ugali vs. Fufu)
All this depends on your taste buds and which one you grew up enjoying. Nigerians will tell you Fufu, while Kenyans will say Ugali in a heartbeat. Different factors will determine which one we say is best for you, including which you eat the most.
They are both great in different settings, so embrace both to enjoy the different global flavors.