The word yam comes from the African words “njam”, “nyami, or “djambi”, meaning “to eat”.
Where did the word yam come from?
The word yam is ultimately derived, via Portuguese or Spanish, from a West African language called Wolof, from the word nyam, meaning “to sample” or “taste.” Similar words for yam in other African languages derive from words meaning “to eat” and “to chew.”
What nationality is yam?
Yam is a common last name found among Overseas Chinese communities around the world. In fact, “Yam” is the transliteration of several different Chinese surnames. Its meaning varies depending on how it is spelled in Chinese, and which dialect it is pronounced in.
Is yam an African food?
African yams are edible tubers, which are a staple food in West Africa. They are a very versatile and can be prepared in several ways to make different yam dishes. Boiled yam is one of the most consumed dishes from this tuber crop; and a lot of other dishes call for it as ingredient.
What do Africans call sweet potato?
(And we’re talking sweet potatoes, not yams. In America, sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are often incorrectly called yams — a totally different tuber crop (Dioscorea spp.) grown widely in West Africa that is white inside.)
Who brought yam to Africa?
After having been brought into cultivation, this species of yam was carried by man far out into the Pacific by the Polynesian migration, which probably originated in southern China and Indochina about 3500 B.P. (Suggs 1960), and later, around 2000 B.P. or more recently, to Madagascar and the East African littoral.
What is Nigerian yam?
Yam is in the class of roots and tubers that is a staple of the Nigerian and West African diet, which provides some 200 calories of energy per capital daily. In Nigeria, in many yam-producing areas, it is said that “yam is food and food is yam”.
What is a yam UK?
The American yam is not commonly found in the UK, yet the term is often used in the US to refer to what the British call a sweet potato; the Brits eat theirs roasted (as they do most things) and have not yet warmed to the American dish of “marshmallow yams.”
What are American yams?
Often North Americans use the words “yam” & “sweet potato” interchangeably. However, a true yam is a starchy, edible tuber, generally with a drier taste than a sweet potato.
What does a real yam look like?
Yams have a cylindrical shape with blackish or brown, bark-like skin and white, purple, or reddish flesh. Compared to sweet potatoes, yams are starchier and drier. They’re carried in more grocery stores these days, but your best chance of finding them is to look in international and specialty markets.
How do Africans eat yams?
Yam can be eaten boiled, fried, roasted or pounded. It can even be used as part of cake ingredients and also used in dumplings.
What is traditional Nigerian food?
The Best Nigerian Cuisine
- Iyan (Pounded Yam)
- Ewa Riro (Beans Porridge)
- Jollof Rice.
- Beef Suya (Thin Strips of Seasoned, Grilled Beef)
- Dodo (Fried Plantain)
- Egusi Soup (Ground Melon Vegetable Soup)
- Nigerian Egg Rolls (It’s Not What You’re Thinking)
- Puff Puff (Sweet Deep Fried Dough)
What is pounded yam called in Nigeria?
Pounded yam is one among a variety of starchy foods in Nigeria fondly called “swallows“. They include eba, amala, starch, fufu and many more.
Did sweet potatoes come from Africa?
Sweet potatoes are native to South America and were introduced to Africa in the 1600s via Portuguese trade routes.
Where do people call it yams?
African slaves had already been calling the ‘soft’ sweet potatoes ‘yams’ because they resembled the yams in Africa. Thus, ‘soft’ sweet potatoes were referred to as ‘yams’ to distinguish them from the ‘firm’ varieties.
Are sweet potato and yams the same?
Yes, all so-called “yams” are in fact sweetpotatoes. Most people think that long, red-skinned sweetpotatoes are yams, but they really are just one of many varieties of sweetpotatoes.
Where in Africa did yams originate?
The estimated geographical origin of cultivated yam expansion was located within the basin of the Niger River, between eastern Ghana and western Nigeria. This presumed area of the origin of yam cultivation is now dry and unsuitable for D.
What is yam in Swahili?
nduma. So, this is how you say “yam” in swahili.
Who brought yam to Nigeria?
Yam farming antedates the historic period on the West Coast of Africa with early Iberian explorer, Pacheco Pereira, who in 1505 mentioned the existence of established trade between Bonny in the east Niger delta and yam growing areas in the hinterland at the time of his visits to Nigeria [10].
What is Ghana yam?
Ghana Yams are closely related to lilies and grasses. Native to Africa and Asia, yams vary in size from that of a small potato to a record 130 pounds. Origin: Ghana – Africa. Availability: Year-Round.
What is yam called in English?
A yam is a root vegetable which is like a potato, and grows in tropical regions. 2. variable noun. Yams are the same as sweet potatoes. [US]
Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. She has worked in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, and has published several cookbooks that have become bestsellers. Elvira is known for her creative approach to cuisine, and her passion for teaching others about the culinary arts.