Attiéké with Grilled Fish

Attiéké is Ivory Coast’s beloved fermented cassava couscous, light and slightly tangy grains that steam up in minutes and pair with everything from grilled fish to fried chicken. Along the coast it is the everyday lunch: a pile of fluffy attiéké, a charred whole fish, and a bright tomato-onion salsa, eaten with the hands. It is also increasingly found in markets abroad, where the dried grains steam up into something remarkably close to the real thing. It is simple, fresh, and deeply satisfying.

Sunny, tangy grains with a smoky catch

The attiéké is fluffy and delicate, each tiny grain separate, with a gentle sour tang that wakes up the palate. The fish, rubbed with garlic, ginger, and lime, turns crisp-skinned and smoky on the grill, and the salsa cuts through with brightness and heat. Together it is a plate of sunshine — light enough for a beach afternoon, good enough for a celebration — and the whole plate comes together in under an hour, which makes it a weeknight winner too.

Craving more? Explore all West African Kitchen recipes.

West African recipes →