What is Attieke (ACHAKAY)?

What is attieke? also spelled as (atchekay) is a side dish made from cassava that is part of the cuisine of Cote d'ivoire in Africa. The dish is prepared from fermented cassava pulp that has been grated and granulated. It originated from the coastal areas of Ivory Coast centuries ago. But it travelled far beyond the country's borders to become one of the best known foods across French-speaking Africa and the diaspora in Europe and North America.


How do you cook attieke?

It is cooked in different ways. There is "attieke poisson braise"- prepared with grilled fish sliced onion,tomato,green pepper and mayonnaise.

There is also "attieke sauce tomate" a tomato sauce cooked with fresh or dry fish.
And also "attieke poisson grille"- prepared with fried fish and  stew.

We also have "attieke huile rouge" It is mixed with palm oil and eaten with a hot pepper soup.
It can also be eaten with smoked fish and grilled chicken.
NB: Attieke can be eaten with any kind of soup and can also be eaten with milk.

    how to prepare it?

Attieke is traditionally made by women in villages across the country and in and out of Ivorian main cities,especially in southern and central Ivory Coast.
The cassava root is peeled,grated and mixed with a previously fermented cassava. The pulp is then pressed to remove the starch and later processed manually and dried and then steamed. It is then sold in local markets, in both retails and whole sales.

"Attieke is one of few things that still unites Ivory Coast's 20 million people from 62 ethnic backgrounds".