This is the most common type of ?m?l?. The flour used is derived from yam. Yam, a common name for species in the genus Dioscorea, is grown in Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Oceania and Latin America. 95% of yam is cultivated and harvested in West Africa. Yam can be barbecued, roasted, fried, grilled boiled, smoked and grated. ?m?l? isu is made with yam flour that has been dried; this gives it a black/brownish colour when added to boiling hot water. Amala is high in carbohydrates and packs a lot of calories.