Papischou
The cuisine of Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) reflects the country’s ethnic diversity, fertile land, and coastal location. Ivorian cooking is built around starchy staples—cassava, plantains, yams, rice, and maize—paired with rich sauces and stews made from vegetables, palm oil, peanuts, okra, tomatoes, and leafy greens. Proteins range from chicken, beef, and goat to smoked or fresh fish and seafood. Spicing tends to be deep and aromatic rather than fiery, using ginger, garlic, onions, chilies, fermented seasonings, and local peppers to build layered flavor. Meals are often communal, hearty, and meant to be eaten with the hands, using starches to scoop up sauces.
And here are five of the most iconic dishes in Ivorian cuisine:
Attiéké
Widely considered the national dish (top), it´s made from fermented cassava that´s grated, steamed, and fluffed into light, couscous-like grains. Typically served with grilled fish or meat, sliced onions, tomatoes, and spicy pepper sauce, attiéké is fresh, tangy, and slightly sour, it´s a staple at both home meals and street stalls.
Serein
Kedjenou
This slow-cooked stew traditionally made with chicken (in fact, it´s sometimes called kedjenou poulet) is prepared in a sealed pot, with tomatoes, onions, chilies, ginger, and herbs creating an intensely flavorful dish as the meat steams in its own juices. It´s commonly served with rice or attiéké.
Sauce Graine (Palm-Nut Soup)
A rich, deeply flavored stew made from palm nuts that are boiled and pounded to extract a thick, reddish sauce, it´s Simmered with meat or fish, tomatoes, onions, and spices, Hearty, comforting, and most often eaten with foutou (see below) or rice, sauce graine is especially central to festive and family meals.
Alloco
Similar to the maduros of the Caribbean, these are ripe plantains fried until golden and caramelized. Served as a snack or side dish, they often accompany grilled meat or fish and are paired with onions, tomatoes, and pili pili (hote pepper) sauce.
Foutou
A cornerstone of traditional Ivorian meals, it´s a smooth, elastic dough is made by pounding boiled plantains, yams, or cassava, and eaten with rich soups or sauces, such as peanut sauce or sauce graine.
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