Alloco

Alloco is the fried plantain snack that fuels the streets of Ivory Coast, sold from stalls at every hour and eaten out of paper cones. Ripe plantains are fried until golden and caramelized, then served with a lively tomato-onion salsa and sometimes a few chunks of fried fish. It is street food at its most honest: hot, sweet, and gone in minutes. Ask for alloco poisson, with a piece of fried fish on top, and you have a full meal in a cone.

Sweet caramel bites with a spicy dip

The plantains fry up with crisp, caramelized edges and a soft, honey-sweet center, while the salsa brings acidity, crunch, and a scotch bonnet kick that keeps every bite interesting. The contrast of hot and cool, sweet and fiery, is what makes alloco so moreish. Serve it straight from the pan, with the salsa spooned on top. It is the snack you order while you wait for something else, then order again because it is already gone.

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