Cote d'Ivoire
Cuisine Around the World
Demographics
Culture
Politics
1999 Coup D'etat (Historical Event)
Famous Person
As noted earlier, soccer is the grand spectacle in Ivory Coast, and therefore its most recognizable name is a "footballer". Yaya is the captain of the Ivory Coast National Team and plays professionally for the renowned Manchester City in the EPL.
Tourism
Exports
The Ivory Coast has, for the region, a relatively high income per capita (USD 1014.4 in 2013) and plays a key role in transit trade for neighboring, landlocked countries. The country is the largest economy in the West African Economic and Monetary Union, constituting 40 percent of the monetary union’s total GDP. The country is the world's largest exporter of Cocoa Beans and the fourth largest exporter of goods, in general, in sub-Saharan Africa (following South Africa, Nigeria and Angola).In 2009, the cocoa bean farmers earned $2.53 billion for cocoa exports and is expected to produce 630,000 metric tons in 2013. According to The Hershey Company, the price of cocoa beans are expected to rise dramatically in upcoming years. The Ivory Coast also has 100,000 rubber farmers which earned a total of $105 million in 2012.
Culinary
Recipe for Kedjenou
- Chicken, cut into serving pieces -- 2 to 3 pounds
- Eggplant, peeled and cubed -- 1 large
- Tomatoes, seeded and chopped -- 2 or 3
- Onions, thinly sliced -- 2
- Hot chile peppers, chopped -- 2 or 3
- Garlic, minced -- 2 or 3 cloves
- Ginger, minced -- 1 tablespoon
- Thyme -- 1 teaspoon
- Bay leaf -- 1
- Salt and pepper -- to season
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Add all the ingredients to a large oven-proof pot with a tight-fitting lid. Cover the pot with one or two layers of aluminum foil and place the lid on top of the foil.
- Place the pot in the oven and bake for 2 to 3 hours. Remove the pot from the oven occasionally and shake it to keep the chicken from sticking.
- Remove the pot from the oven. Let it rest for about 10 minutes. Serve hot with couscous, attiéké (see note), rice or boiled yams.
KEDJENOU VARIATIONS
- Kedjenou can also be cooked on the stovetop. Bring the ingredients to a simmer over medium heat. Then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. You will need to shake it a little more often than the oven-baked version to keep it from sticking.
- Lower-fat Version: Remove the skin from the chicken and add 2 or 3 tablespoons of peanut oil.
- Some (mostly French) recipes call for first browning the chicken in peanut oil and sauteing the onions. While this adds flavor to the dish, it is not strictly authentic.
- You can add 1/2 cup water or chicken stock to the pot at the beginning if it looks way too dry. The tomatoes should give off enough liquid though that this shouldn't be necessary.
NOTES
- Attiéké is a couscous-like side dish made from grated and fermented cassava. Instant boxed versions can be found in many Middle Eastern or African ethnic markets.