A West African Dream Cuisine

From traditional family gatherings to simple dinner parties with friends, cultural food is always the main focal point in connecting with different people from all parts of life. Being from West Africa, specifically Benin, sharing our food with others is a very respectful way to welcome them into our home. One of our most popular meals from West Africa is called Attiéké (pronounced Ah-jeh-keh).

Attiéké, also known as fermented cassava, is a main dish similar to couscous harboring the same texture and fine grain as its close twin. It can be served with many combinations of sauces including a slow-cooked stew, tomato sauce, and even a simple garnish of sliced onions with ripe tomatoes (my favorite!) When it is made from scratch, fermented cassava is left to naturally brew for about two days until the final product is completely dried, then eventually steamed for about five minutes until it is ready to enjoy and eat ! Now, in local African markets, attiéké can be found precooked and frozen or sold in small packages. They can be cooked in as little as 10 minutes !

My hearty Attiéké !

Ingredients :

1 Bag of defrosted Attiéké (1lb)

2 Onions

1 Tomato

1 Maggi flavoring cube

3 Tablespoons of vegetable oil

2 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

Salt for taste

Cassava fish

1 Lemon

Pepper

Cook time: 20 mins

Servings: Your entire family !

Directions:

1. In a large microwavable bowl, place the attiéké and cover with saran wrap

2. Next, put the bowl of attiéké in the microwave and cook for 5 minutes

Meanwhile, let's make our sauce !

3. Carefully dice two onions into small cubes and set aside in a bowl

4. As with the onions, dice the tomato into equally sized cubes and place in the same bowl

Seasoning time !!

5. In the bowl containing the freshly cut onions and tomatoes, add 3 spoons of apple cider vinegar

6. Next, we will wait 5 minutes in order to let the vinegar soak into the vegetables.

7. After 5 minutes has passed, add 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil

8. Crush and add one Maggi flavoring cube on top of the mixture

9. Add salt to your taste, and gently mix everything together. Set aside.

Our sauce is ready to go, let's move on to the technical part:

10. After cleaning your Cassava fish thoroughly, season it with salt, lemon, and pepper.

11. Heat up your vegetable oil at about 350 degrees Fahrenheit (or until you see small bubbles forming at the bottom of your pan)

12. Carefully place the fish into the oil and fry for about 4 minutes, or until you reach your desired texture.

Let's put our masterpiece together now !

13. Remove the cooked attiéké from the microwave (Careful it is hot!) and place your desired amount onto a plate.

14. Add the sauce on top of the cooked grain, make sure to pile on the tomatoes for extra flavor !

15. Lastly, place the freshly fried fish to the side of your plate, sit down, and enjoy !

As a young girl, I was taught by my parents to take pride in my background. My father, being a musician who wrote and performed songs in his native language, Fon, always reminded me that my roots are what make me who I am. Often away touring the country, on the days he was home, he made sure to bond with both my younger brother and I by sharing recipes he learned from his childhood. From fried okra to boiled pig shoulders, we received mini masterclasses on how to perfect the cooking techniques as well as story times of my father’s difficult childhood. He would explain the rigorous walks he would have to take to school at early dawn, to finding his love for traveling and how different types of cuisine can influence a person’s mind and heart.

One of my favorite childhood memories was when I got to host a dinner party for my dad’s friends who were visiting New York from Hungary. My responsibilities were to hand out appetizers and water while making sure everything was going smoothly in the kitchen. My 10 year old self took these tasks very seriously, plating each olive meticulously and making sure each glass was filled equally before serving the guests. Tonight we were presenting a traditional African course commonly eaten with big families. This was important to me especially, as my favorite meal was being served, attiéké, I wanted it to be perfectly executed. Often peering into the kitchen, I saw the highlight of our night. The smell of newly cooked fish along with fresh peppers immediately danced through my nose. It is funny how food can make you feel a range of emotions. For me that night, it was pure happiness.

Carefully, I plated the large amount of food, excited to see how our guests would react to these new flavors and spices gliding through their tastebuds. Finally, we all sat down, said our grace and immediately dug into our heaping plates. A moment that would stay with me forever, the young children who have accompanied our guests, vigorously digging into my favorite meal, mouths dirty with little grains of our culture. I felt proud of myself, proud of my culture. To be able to share my happiness with different people from different places of the world and even different ages, truly touched me, and I believe that is what food for the soul is about. Appreciation, love, and most importantly bringing everyone together.