Chips d’Igname – Yam Chips from Burkina Faso

Chips d’Igame – Yam Chips from Burkina Faso are quick and easy to make! They are part of Volkermampft’s culinary world tour, which is traveling to Burkina Faso this month.

Here are a few facts about this country:

Burkina Faso was formerly known as the Republic of Upper Volta, a state in West Africa. Burkina means “free person” in Moore, and Faso means ‘land’ in Dyula, so together it means “land of free people.”
Burkina Faso is located in the center of West Africa. Geographically, it lies in the agricultural region between the Sahara and the rainforests on the coast. The high population and limited natural resources lead to poor economic prospects for the majority of citizens. As a result, Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in the world.

Burkina Faso’s cuisine is similar to that of many other West African countries and is based on staple foods such as sorghum, corn, peanuts, beans, millet, rice, yams, and okra. Tô is the most common dish. It is a dough dish made from millet, sorghum, or corn. (Here is a very similar recipe from one of the neighboring countries – Pap)

On special occasions, it is eaten with meat such as mutton or goat. In urban areas, chicken is often prepared on the street and called “poulet-bicyclette,” which means “bicycle chicken” because it is brought from the villages to the city in this way.
There are some French influences, but if Burkina Faso were not such a poor country, there would certainly be more of them. Ingredients are generally limited to what is readily available, and imported products have only recently become more common in urban areas, but are correspondingly expensive.

Yam

Yam is the common name for several plant species of the genus Dioscorea that produce edible tubers. Yams are perennial herbaceous vines native to Africa, Asia, and America. The tubers themselves, also called “yams,” come in various shapes due to numerous cultivars and related species. They are compared to sweet potatoes, which can be used as a substitute, but they are a different type of tuber. Yams are from the lily family, while sweet potatoes are from the morning glory family.