Fufu is a smooth, stretchy dough made by boiling and pounding starchy staples such as cassava, plantain, or yam into a firm paste, eaten as the carbohydrate base of many West and Central African meals. The name comes from the Twi language of Ghana. It is traditionally made by hand-pounding in a large wooden mortar and pestle, though food processors and blenders are common substitutes today; it is shaped into rounded portions and eaten with the fingers, torn off and dipped into an accompanying stew, soup, or sauce rather than eaten on its own. Regional versions vary by staple: Ghanaian fufu is commonly cassava and plantain, while Nigerian fufu is more often pounded yam.