West Africa
Mauritania
Thieboudienne cousins, camel milk and Saharan date sweetness.
Staples
- Short-grain broken rice (Maro)
- Millet and sorghum couscous (Lemsasla)
- Dried cured camel meat (Tishtar)
- Sun-dried fermented sea fish (Guedj)
- Fermented fresh camel milk (Zrig)
- Desert oasis dates (Tmar)
Seasonings
- Fermented sea snail seasoning (Yeet)
- Rendered camel hump fat (Dhan / Derw)
- Pungent fermented locust bean paste (Netetou)
- Dried local peppermint (Naana)
- Pounded hot red capsicum (Kaani)
Techniques
- Steaming couscous grains directly over simmering broth
- Pit-roasting whole mutton over acacia charcoal embers
- Simmering broken rice in concentrated fish stock
- Sun-drying salted camel meat into preserved jerky
At the table
Women prepare communal round platters centered with fish-infused rice or mutton couscous, which family members eat seated on carpets using their right hands to compress portions. While the nomadic northern Sahara centers its diet on sun-dried camel tishtar, dates, and curdled zrig, the southern Senegal River valley relies on lush, tamarind-soured riverine fish and vegetable caldou stews.
20 recipes across 7 courses
Ask AI for moreBreakfast
Al-Aych (Millet Flour Porridge with Fermented Milk)
Velvety pearl millet porridge served steaming hot with a moat of chilled, tangy fermented milk and golden melted butter.
Panket (Mauritanian Sweet Fried Doughnuts)
Golden, aromatic Mauritanian yeast fritters spiced with nutmeg and vanilla, fried crisp outside with a tender, pillowy crumb.
Soup
Chorba Mauritanienne (Spiced Lamb and Cracked Wheat Soup)
A fragrant, silk-textured lamb and cracked wheat soup infused with smen, cinnamon, and fresh herbs, crafted across Mauritania to break the Ramadan fast.
Megueni (Imraguen Dried Mullet and Sorrel Leaf Broth)
An intensely savory, tangy coastal broth pairing sundried mullet with sour green sorrel leaves, crafted by the Imraguen fishermen of Banc d'Arguin.
Main
Banafe (Beef and Root Vegetable Braise)
Hearty southern Mauritanian beef shank stew simmered with cassava and sweet potatoes in a savory fermented locust bean sauce.
Bonava (Slow-Simmered Lamb and Potato Stew)
Succulent lamb braised with soft potatoes in a deeply concentrated, mint-kissed onion sauce from the Mauritanian Adrar.
Kseksou (Camel Meat and Steamed Semolina Couscous)
Tender braised camel meat and root vegetables layered over airy, triple-steamed semolina grains scented with spiced dhen.
Marou we Hout (Mauritanian Spiced Fish & Broken Rice)
Steamed broken jasmine rice simmered in a spiced tamarind-tomato fish broth topped with herb-stuffed white grouper.
Tiguedege (Soninke Rich Ground Peanut Stew)
A velvety Soninke stew combining browned beef, root vegetables, and smooth roasted peanut butter simmered until oil floats in glossy amber rings.
Side
Chaviar (Imraguen Salt-Cured Dried Mullet Roe)
Sun-cured golden mullet bottarga meticulously salted and pressed along the Banc d'Arguin coast for intense umami.
Hakko (Pulaar Moringa and Cowpea Leaf Sauce)
Silky, deeply savory Pulaar steamed green sauce enriched with fragrant groundnut butter and pungent fermented locust beans.
Taguella (Sand-Baked Nomadic Wheat Flatbread)
Traditional Saharan hearth bread baked directly under clean embers and hot sand, developing a smoky blistered crust.
Tishtar (Sun-Dried Seasoned Beef Preserved in Ghee)
Moorish sun-cured shredded beef gently pounded into fine threads and submerged in spiced camel ghee for profound savory richness.
Toufey (Caramelized Onion, Vinegar, and Mustard Relish)
Piquant, slow-caramelized riverine onion condiment sharpened with strong mustard, fresh lime, and fermented acidity.
Dessert
Degue (Steamed Millet Pearls in Sweet Cultured Yogurt)
Cooling festive dessert of double-steamed pearl millet couscous suspended in a velvety, nutmeg-spiced sweet yogurt cream.
Hawaicha (Pounded Oasis Dates with Ghee and Goat Curd)
Rich and ancient Saharan oasis confection of mortar-pounded dates, aromatic clarified butter, and tangy goat milk curd.
Drink
Ataye (Three-Round Frothy Gunpowder Mint Tea)
Intensely aromatic green tea ritualistically aerated to produce a pillowy microfoam, served in three evolving ceremonial rounds.
Bissap (Spiced Hibiscus Flower and Mint Infusion)
Deep ruby-red hibiscus flower cooler brewed with crushed ginger, fresh mint, and orange blossom essence over cracked ice.
Zrig (Chilled Sweetened Curdled Camel Milk)
A velvety, chilled Mauritanian thirst-quencher made from tart cultured camel milk whipped with sweetened water and orange blossom.
