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Attiéké is a cassava-based side dish popular in the African country of Côte d’Ivoire. The dish is made using cassava pulp that has been fermented and grated or granulated.
It has a texture similar to couscous, which is also compared to this dish. Ivorian fried plantains are known as alloco (Aloco or Alloko). Benin, Nigeria (Dodo), the Democratic Republic of Congo (Makemba), Togo (Amanda), and Ghana all eat alloco (Kelewele). The steak and attiéké are served with the Alloco.
What is Attiéké?
Also pronounced atchekay, this is a traditional couscous made from ground cassava roots that is eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner by many Ivorians of all ages. It came from the Ivory Coast’s coastal districts centuries ago.
In Ivory Coast, West Africa, attieke this a special delicacy. It’s cooked using cassava and served with fried plantains or chicken. Any beverage, including red wine, can be served alongside the dish.
This delicacy tastes and smells tropical, with nutty vanilla tones, and conjures visions of palm trees and an unyielding sun, similar to raw cassava. It is starchy, sticky, and carbohydrate-rich, similar to fresh cassava—a vegetable used to make some of the world’s gooier delicacies, such as tapioca pudding.
How Is Attiéké made?
A short fermentation period (usually a few days) imparts a slightly sour, even foul flavor to the grain. That “funk,” like most fermented items, might be disconcerting at first.
However, the fermentation process and the ensuing added layer of taste and complexity gives it a distinct flavor and appeal, similar to mild sour dough bread in terms of tartness.
It stands out among the various starches and grains known, due to its acidic flavor.
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Attiéké Steak Alloco
This whole dish is a one of the plethora of options you can have using Attiéké. Check out the recipe below:
Attiéké Steak Alloco
Ingredients
For the Steak
- 3 kg bone-in ribeye steaks
- Kosher salt
- 1 tbsp garlic
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- freshly ground black pepper
For the Attieke
- 1 ball of attieke
- salt
- ½ cup water
For the Alloco
- ripe plantains
- salt
Instructions
Preparing the Steak
- Preheat oven to 400° F
- Season steaks with seasoning and let it rest for about 40 minute.
- Place the steak on a small baking sheet and roast in the oven until an instant read thermometer inserted into its center registers 135°F, about 1 hour.
Preparing the Attieke
- Place Attiéké in a microwave-safe dish.
- Add ½ cup of water and salt to Attiéké.
- Allow the semolina to absorb all the water.
- Microwave for 5 minutes (repeat by adding 1/4 of water until desired consistency)
Preparing the Alloco
- Peel and cut the plantain diagonally or round, into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- Add salt to the plantain
- Add oil into a nonstick skillet and place it on medium heat.
- When the oil begins to shimmer but not smoke, add plantains (work in batches) and fry for 1½ minutes on one side, flip and cook for 1 minute on the other side.
- Remove plantains from pan and drain on paper towels.
- Continue frying in batches until all the plantains are fried.
- Simple, fast, easy, yummy!
