Ivorian Aloco {Fried Plantain and Palm Oil}

Delicious, caramelized fried ripe plantains were my favorite snack during my growing up years in the Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). Known as aloco in the the Cote d'Ivoire, this dish is usually eaten as a snack served on a piece of newspaper, or the evening meal alongside achekey (a couscous like dish made with grated fermented cassava, usually spelled attieke), pepper sauce, and fried fish. Somehow the combinations of these things is just amazing! The western palate, however, general prefers sweet plantain not mixed with savory fish and pepper. 

In Liberia this dish is usually referred to simply as "fried plantain", and in Ghana it's known as kelewele.  Plantain is a very popular food throughout West Africa, and African in general, as well  as many South American countries where the plantain, also know as the cooking banana, is readily available.

Plantains are prepared in a number of ways in West Africa, and are a nutritious part of the indigenous diet. They can be thinly sliced and fried green to make a chip very similar to potato chips (only better!), they are fried when the fruit is yellow and ripe, as is pictured above, which tastes more like soft French fries, or they can be fried when the plantain is black and appears to be rotten, as is done with aloco. In the Cote d'Ivoire plantain is also boiled then beaten in a mortar with boiled cassava to prepare futu, a delicious doughy starch served with meat gravy. Plantains are also served roasted when very ripe over low coals, which is another personal favorite.

When fried with a healthy oil, such as palm oil as is traditionally done, aloco can be a healthy side dish or snack. Aloco is an example of a modern day tribal food and is appropriate for paleo, primal, whole foods, and traditional foods diets. The basics to this recipe are plantain, oil, and salt, but some people add ginger, garlic, hot pepper, onions or a combination of these. My favorite is the ginger. 

Plantains are now available at most large supermarkets, as well as ethnic food stores. You can often find rich red palm oil at your local ethnic food store as well, or order it online at Tropical Traditions. Those who may not like the earthy taste of palm oil should now that it blends perfectly with the plantain and any strong taste is no longer noticeable.

Many people who grew up in West Africa crave aloco. But there are several tricks to getting that authentic taste. First of all, you want the fruit to be at the perfect stage of ripeness. Like the banana, as plantains ripen the starches are converted into sugar and the fruit gets more and more sweet. This is part of the secret to aloco. The plantains should be black with a few spots of yellow still visible.  If you notice some mold developing on the skin the fruit is getting too ripe and starting to spoil beneath the peal. (Though portions of it will probably still be okay to cook). Cooking them has to be done correctly as well. You want the pieces to be perfectly caramelized without falling apart or burning.

Aloco-perfect plantains. Mostly black with a touch of yellow still remaining.

Ivorian Aloco

3-4 Tablespoons palm oil or coconut oil (preferable unrefined for no coconut taste)

2 very, very ripe plantains, cut into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces (not sliced)

2-3 teaspoons finely chopped or grated ginger root, optional

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat (number 4 on my stove) for about five minutes. Combine the remaining ingredients. Spoon the plantain evenly into the pan. Cook for about five minutes, then with a fork, carefully turn the pieces. Do not use a spatula or spoon as the pieces will be very fragile since they're so ripe. Cook for another 15 minutes, turning carefully at each five minute interval until the pieces are caramelized and dark brown. 

Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Or don't drain if you aren't bothered by healthy oil!

Preparation time: 2 minutes. Cook time: 20 minutes. Servings: 2-3

After about 5 minutes of cooking.

Perfectly caramelized.

{This recipe is linked up at Tasty Traditions and Whole Foods Wednesday.}

 What ways have you found to incorporate plantains into a modern diet?

Basic Brown Rice and Rice Preparation in Liberia

Rice is one of the most common grains in the world. It is a staple in many countries worldwide, including Liberia and the Cote d'Ivoire where I lived many years. Rice is something I make regularly and one of the changes I have made to improve the nutrition my family is getting is to replace most of the white rice we eat with brown. I will be sharing several Liberian recipes to be served over rice and using brown rice gives these meals a rustic and more authentic feel. White rice is a subsidized import in Liberia so not all the rice consumed is the locally grown brown rice. 

My photo.

Brown rice has only the husk removed leaving the germ and bran intact. Brown rice has a small amount of rice bran oil and a lot of good fiber. It's a good source of several vitamins and minerals including B1,  B3, iron, and magnesium. Brown rice has a lower glycemic index than white rice so does not raise blood sugar as white does. White rice has the germ and bran stripped and with it all the nutritious oil, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Left behind is a refined carbohydrate. Most white rice is now sold as "enriched" with some synthetic vitamins and minerals added back, but these nutrients are minimal compared with natural brown rice. This is another example of why food is healthiest when eaten the closest to the way God made it in nature.

Brown rice does cost more than white rice, but all things considered, switching from white rice to brown rice is not a big financial sacrifice. Because of the good balance of fiber, oil, and nutrients, brown rice is more filling than white, so you eat less which does save a little on the cost. Unfortunately, most people do not know how to prepare brown rice so they believe brown rice equals hard grains while white rice is soft and fluffy. The good news is brown rice can be very fluffy and delicious if it's prepared properly. Adding salt to the water before cooking helps to bring out the flavor.  It's a little more chewy than white rice, but the flavor is fairly neutral and it goes with anything you'd usually serve with white rice.  

There are several varieties of brown rice that are inexpensive and readily available. Regular long grain brown rice is the most common and has a neutral taste. Brown Jasmine rice has all the health benefits of brown rice with the delicious aromatic flavor of Jasmine rice. There is also brown basmati rice but it is a bit more costly and I have not tried it yet.

Wal-Mart brand brown rice was $0.72 a pound the last time I bought some. I was able to find brown Jasmine rice at an ethnic food store for about the same price as regular brown rice, which is a very good deal. If you eat a lot of rice and like Jasmine rice, I would look at your local ethnic food store for the best price. Brown basmati rice was more expensive (basmati rice is already more expensive than regular rice) but if you eat a lot of basmati rice it would be worth it to switch to brown basmati.

Rice is one of the grains that does not have to be soaked, according to Nourishing Traditions. You can soak it, but it does not make a huge difference. Rather, it is suggested to cook rice with a good quality homemade meat broth to make the most of the nutrients. I don't do this with all my recipes, but I try to when I can as it does significantly increase the nutritional value.

Here are two practical and informative recipes by other Nourishing Traditions followers on making your own meat broth:

Beef Stock, Anyone?

Homemade Soup Broth: An Essential Element in Any Healthy, Frugal Kitchen

Rice in Liberia:

Rice in Liberia is so popular and important a common Liberian saying is that one has not eaten unless they have eaten a meal that included rice. It is even believed that rice is essential for a Liberian to eat in order to maintain good health.

Nutritious brown rice - also known as African red rice - is grown by subsistence farmers in various varieties and hues, some being almost purple in color. Farmers plant their own rice grains, saved from a previous harvest, cultivate it, harvest it, then store it in bundles still on the stalk. Each day when it is time to begin preparing dinner, the rice is pounded in a mortar to remove the husk. This job is done by women or children with sometimes two or three people taking turns pounding a pestle in rhythm.

After the husk is removed, the rice is shaken in a rice fan to remove the chaff.

Finally it is rinsed then added to a pot of already boiling water. 

Salt is added and the rice is stirred from time to time to prevent burning.  Excess water is poured off as needed. This rather complicated method of cooking the rice could be because of the unstable heat from an open fire, but creating perfect brown rice in your own kitchen is a lot easier. There are several ways to make brown rice successfully, but this method works well for me.

Note: Rice can be prepared with almost any liquid. Using water is the most authentic for Liberian recipes, using broth is the most nutritious according to Nourishing Traditions. 

Basic Brown Rice

1 1/2 cups brown rice

3 cups water or broth

1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, optional

Combine all ingrediants in a 2 quart sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 45 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork before serving.

Preparation time: 1 minute. Cook time: 50 minutes. Servings: 4-6.

Tips for success: Do not peak under the cover, do not stir while cooking, and set a timer for 45 minutes.  This method works every time for me.

Brown rice can be successfully frozen and reheated. This is a great way to make sure you always have the time to eat brown rice since one does not always have 45 minutes to prepare the rice. I freeze portions in the amount we need for one meal then thaw and reheat as needed.

Basic Ground Beef

Cooking is something that is learned and doesn't come naturally to everyone. Because of that I don't want to assume everyone viewing this blog knows some cooking basics I was privileged to learn early on.

This recipe is a simple tutorial, but I will also use it as the base for many of my recipes that call for ground beef.

So, as one of my less exciting posts, I give you Basic Ground Beef.

Basic Ground Beef

1 pound ground beef

1 onion, finely chopped, or 2 tablespoons dried minced onion

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Place meat in a medium sized skillet. Turn the heat to medium. Break up the ground beef with a spoon or stiff spatula. Mix in the onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir every 3-4 minutes until no pink is left (about 10 minutes). Drain excess fat. (I use a metal spoon and scoop that grease into an empty tin can. When the fat is cool I throw away the can and the congealed fat.) Add to your dish or freeze for later use.

How to Properly Cook Dry Beans

Purchasing dry beans and cooking them yourself is a big way to save money and eat healthy. Many of my recipes include beans because they are an inexpensive way to get a lot of protein in your diet. Not only are dry beans a lot cheaper than canned beans, they are fairly easy to make; you just need to plan ahead. 

Photo Credit

"Legumes or pulses, such as beans, chickpeas, lentils, peas, peanuts and cashews, have nourished mankind for centuries. Throughout the world, they have served as the poor man's meat. The combination of pulses, whole grains, and a small amount of animal protein and good quality  animal fat is the ideal low-cost diet. Legumes are rich in minerals and B vitamins. Recent research indicates that legumes contain several anticancer agents. All contain both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Kidney and pinto beans are high in omega-3 fatty acids; chickpeas are high in omega-6 fatty acids." ("Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Eng, Ph. D. p 495).

According to Sally Fallon in her Nourishing Traditions cookbook, it's important to prepare dry beans properly in order for our bodies to digest all of their nutrients. "Such care in preparation ensures that legumes will be thoroughly digestible and all the nutrients they provide well assimilated, because such careful preparation neutralizes phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors and breaks down difficult-to-digest complex sugars." ("Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Eng, Ph. D. p 495).

Basic Dry Beans Recipe
(Adapted from Nourishing Traditions)

one 16 oz bag dried beans (about 2 cups) 

warm water

2 T lemon juice or whey

2 t salt

Check dry beans for stones. (I do this by pouring a little at a time into the pot). Place dry beans in a pot. Cover with warm water by about an inch and add the lemon juice or whey. Soak for 12-24 hours.

(Update: I just learned that beans soak more effectively when a warm temperature is maintained, so its suggested to keep them in a crock pot on warm, if possible, during the 12-24 hour soaking period.)

Drain beans and add fresh water to cover by about an inch. Stir in the salt. Bring to a boil or place in a crock pot on high. Reduce beans to a simmer. Skim off any foam that appears. Cook until the beans are tender, anywhere from 3-8 hours (depending on how long they were soaked and what kind of beans they are). Use beans as directed in your recipe, or divide into 1 1/2 cup portions (the amount in a standard 15.5 oz can) and freeze for later use.

I find that cooking beans in a crock pot is the easiest way to go. You just turn it to high and basically forget about it for a few hours.