I met attiéké at an African restaurant in New York, ordered it out of pure curiosity, and left planning my next visit. It is Ivory Coast’s beloved staple: couscous-like granules of fermented cassava with a gentle tang that makes everything around it taste brighter.
In Côte d’Ivoire it is everywhere — the classic partner to grilled fish or chicken — and the fermentation gives it a subtle sourness you will not find in wheat couscous. It also happens to be naturally gluten-free.
The boxed version (look for it at African or international markets) makes it weeknight-easy: this recipe dresses it up with a sauté of onion, carrot, celery, peanuts and sesame for texture and depth.
Attiéké Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 box (10.6 oz) attiéké (cassava couscous)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ¼ cup minced yellow onion
- ¼ cup minced carrot
- ¼ cup minced celery
- ¼ cup chopped peanuts
- 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the onion, carrot and celery until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the peanuts, sesame seeds and bay leaf, season with salt, and cook 2 minutes more.
- Stir in the attiéké and water.
- Cover and cook over low heat until the water is fully absorbed, about 10 minutes.
- Rest off the heat for 5 minutes, remove the bay leaf, and finish with the cilantro.
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