ALL LOCO FOR ALLOCO

WEST AFRICA’S FAVORITE TREAT

‍

Alloco means "ripe, sweet" in Baoulé. But it is also the name of a traditional dish that can melt the heart of many West Africans, including mine. Plantains, the starchy bananas used in cooking, are the main ingredient in many dishes, but few meals prove more satisfying than a plate of warm, fried plantains straight from the pan, and we're certainly not alone in saying that it's an all-time favorite.

The sizzling oil, the noise, and the bubbling, the comforting warmth of the kitchen—tasting alloco always brings back fond memories.

While plantains are cooked throughout Africa, South America, and the Caribbean, Côte d'Ivoire claims alloco as its national dish. Sold in its maquis, allocodromes, or by street vendors on the roadside, alloco has the simplest recipe for the most uncomplicated pleasure.

The sizzling hot oil, noisy and bubbly, the comforting warmth in the kitchen… tasting alloco always bring back fond memories.

While plantains are cooked across Africa, South America, and the Caribbean, Côte d'Ivoire claims Alloco as its national dish. Sold in its maquis, allocodromes, or by street vendors on the roadsides, alloco has the easiest recipe for the most uncomplicated pleasure.

‍

‍

Every time Alloco was on the menu, these steps were followed:

‍
- First, the choice of the plantain. At the local market, touching and judging each of them, trying to guess which one would have the best taste, ripe enough, and sweetest, based on the texture and the color of the skin: the darker the ripper. This attractive mix of yellow strewn with dark brown spots was the perfect color for me. The riper the plantain, the softer and the sweeter the Alloco. Touching the different bananas displayed on the stall, looking at the perfect balance of soft and hard, guaranteeing the ideal not-too-dry texture and distinctive sweet-savory taste.
Once back home, the shopping was followed by cleaning and peeling the pile of plantains brought from the market. The most impactful part is cutting; the blade of the knife slides smoothly through the more or less soft pulp, cutting each piece into squares, cut in length, round slices varying in thickness.
‍

- Warming the oil, Palma, sunflower, or peanuts in the frying pan or deep fryer. Then, dipping the pieces in the hot oil was always the most impressive moment for me, with the dangerous oil projections, so it always required patience. The subtlety is to keep the oil hot but not too much, letting them cook until they reach their distinctive golden color without burning them…

‍

‍

Finally, the plantain rested to remove extra oil. It required utmost patience before we could eventually enjoy the plate. Meat skewers, braised fish, or a sauce made from tomatoes, garlic, onions, and a few spices—some say the tasty treat is only as good as its accompaniment; others, including myself, believe that Alloco is best enjoyed as it is.

‍

Once the dish was served, there was no time to lose to pick up the first piece. And then… the taste of the warm banana melting in my mouth, almost burning my tongue and warming up my whole body, the sweet-savory taste and this indescribable feeling of tasting part of Africa.
Alloco was always a special dish cooked for special occasions, usually on weekends. This made it synonymous with joy, a guaranteed moment of coming together, and conviviality. Rarely eaten alone, this culinary experience, to be savored when shared with friends or family, is synonymous with generosity.

‍