Everyday meals

Placali

A white, firm dough made from fermented cassava flour, typical of Ivorian cooking and some regions of Ghana. It is shaped into balls and eaten with gooey or spicy sauces.

45 min
4 servings
Medium
Budget-friendly
🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire

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Ingredients

500 g Cassava flour (placali or cassava type)
700 ml Lukewarm water
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking powder (optional)

Nutrition facts

434 kcal per serving

Protein: 17 g
Carbohydrates: 84.8 g
of which sugars: 1.9 g
Fat: 1.3 g
Fiber: 4.4 g

Ecomely’s estimate, calculated from the ingredients with the ANSES Ciqual food composition table, excluding sides and seasoning added to taste.

Instructions

In a saucepan, heat 500 ml of water with the salt until it boils.
Gradually pour the cassava flour into the hot water, stirring vigorously with a wooden spatula to avoid lumps.
Gradually add the rest of the lukewarm water, continuing to stir until you get a smooth, very firm dough.
Let the dough rest covered for 15 minutes, then turn it out onto a lightly oiled work surface.
Knead it by hand for a few minutes to make it smooth, then shape balls the size of your fist.
Serve lukewarm with okra sauce, tomato sauce or peanut sauce.

Variations and tips

Fermented version. Leave the flour dissolved in water to ferment for 24 hours at room temperature before cooking, for a more tangy and authentic flavour.