National Dish Togo: Agbéli Kaklo (Recipe)
In this article
Agbéli Kaklo is grated cassava squeezed dry, seasoned with onion and chilli, rolled into balls and deep-fried until the outside is crisp and the inside stays soft. It comes with a fiery tomato-chilli sauce and is sold from stalls all over Lomé, usually for the equivalent of small change.
About Agbéli Kaklo
Agbéli Kaklo is Togo’s crisp cassava snack. Grated cassava is seasoned with onions and chilli, shaped into small balls and fried golden until a crunchy crust forms. Served in the classic way with a fiery chilli sauce, this West African street snack is a genuine pleasure, cheap, filling and eaten at any hour of the day.
Ingredients (serves 1–2)
- 500 g cassava, peeled and finely grated (or frozen grated cassava)
- 1 onion, very finely chopped
- 1–2 red chillies, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Oil, for deep frying
- For the sauce: 2 tomatoes, 1 onion, 1 chilli, 1 tablespoon oil
Shopping for the ingredients
Frozen grated cassava, sold in African and Latin American shops, saves the considerable labour of peeling and grating and is genuinely good. If working with whole roots, choose firm ones with clean white flesh. Cassava must always be cooked, never taste the raw mixture.
Preparing the dish
Peel the cassava thoroughly, removing the pink layer under the bark and the woody core. Grate it finely, then squeeze out as much liquid as you can in a cloth. This is the crucial step, since wet cassava will not hold together or crisp.
Step-by-step instructions
- Peel the cassava completely and remove the woody core.
- Grate finely into a bowl.
- Wrap in a clean cloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
- Mix the pressed cassava with the onion, chilli and salt.
- Squeeze handfuls into small firm balls, about the size of a walnut.
- Heat the oil to 170°C.
- Fry in batches for 5–6 minutes until deep golden and cooked through.
- For the sauce, blend the tomatoes, onion and chilli and fry in the oil for 10 minutes; serve alongside.
Gluten-free / lactose-free version
Agbéli kaklo is naturally gluten-free and lactose-free, cassava, onion, chilli and oil. Nothing needs adapting for either restriction.
Tips for vegans and vegetarians
The snack is vegan as written, as is the sauce. It is one of the most reliable street foods in West Africa for anyone avoiding animal products.
More tips and tricks
Squeeze the grated cassava until it seems dry, then squeeze again. This is what makes the difference between a crisp ball and a soggy one. Fry at a steady 170°C so the inside cooks through. And press the balls firmly, or they fall apart in the oil.
Adapting the recipe to your taste
Grated coconut mixed in is common and adds sweetness. Ginger or garlic in the mixture works well. Some vendors add a little cornmeal for extra crispness.
Ingredient substitutions
Frozen grated cassava is the practical shortcut. Sweet potato can be treated the same way for a different snack. Scotch bonnet is the authentic chilli.
Drink pairing ideas
Bissap, the hibiscus drink, is the classic pairing and cuts the oil. Ginger juice works the same way. A cold beer suits it in the evening.
Serving and presentation ideas
Serve agbéli kaklo hot in paper, with the chilli sauce in a small bowl for dipping. In Togo they are often sold with a cube of roasted coconut alongside, which is worth copying. Eat them within minutes; cassava goes firm as it cools.
A bit of history
Cassava reached West Africa from Brazil in the sixteenth century and became a staple across the region, adapted into an enormous range of foods, gari, attieke, fufu and fried snacks like this one. Agbéli kaklo belongs to the Ewe-speaking coast of Togo, Ghana and Benin. It offers a genuine window onto Togolese cuisine.
More recipe ideas
Summary: Agbéli Kaklo
Agbéli Kaklo is grated cassava squeezed dry, seasoned with onion and chilli, rolled into balls and deep-fried. Squeeze it hard, press the balls firm, and serve them hot with chilli sauce.
