ALLOCO: IVORIAN FRIED PLANTAINS

Ingredients

Alloco

• 6 large ripe plantains (yellow and browning around the tops)
• 1½ peanut or coconut oil (we used coconut)
• 1 teaspoon salt

Pili Pili (Sauce de Piment)

• ½ cup oil (olive or peanut or coconut)
• 1 medium sized onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 small carrot, peeled and chopped into big chunks
• 3-4 chili peppers, enough to fill ¼ cup when sliced
• ½ cup tomato paste
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley - xyz
• 1 teaspoon paprika powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon of vinegar

How to Make

Stage 1 - Prepare the Sauce de Piment

1. Take a large stockpot over medium-high heat, then add your oil
2. Once the oil is nice and heated, start by adding your onions and garlic. Mix around and cook together for 3-4 minutes as the onions start to sweat
3. Next, add your carrot and chili peppers, and stir in for 1 minute
4. Then, add your tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne, oregano, and parsley. Mix well through the rest of the ingredients until everything is nice and combined
5. Once everything is mixed, add in your bay leaf and vinegar and mix through. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover your stockpot and let everything sit for 20 minutes

Stage 2 - Frying Your Alloco

1. While the sauce is simmering, take another deep saucepan over medium-high heat. Add your coconut oil and melt until you have a nice layer of oil covering the bottom
2. Add your plantains and fry on each side for ~5-6 minutes on each side as they become nice and golden brown. The outside will become crispy and hardened on the outside, which is a good thing
3. Remove your plantains from the oil once both sides have fried and place on a plate lined with paper towel (to absorb any excess oil). Sprinkle your alloco with a little salt just for good measure

Stage 3 - Finish the Sauce

1. Once all your alloco are done, take your stockpot off the heat and transfer your sauce ingredients to a food processor
2. Process the ingredients until you get a nice pureed sauce that can be spread over your alloco
3. And you're done! Enjoy!