West Africa
Senegal
Thieboudienne, yassa and mafé — the codified grammar of West African cuisine.
Staples
- Céeb (broken fragrant rice)
- Dugub (pearl millet)
- Ñébé (black-eyed cowpeas)
- Ñambi (cassava root)
- Thiof (Atlantic white grouper)
Seasonings
- Nététou (fermented locust bean paste)
- Guèye / Guedj (salted dried fermented fish)
- Yéet (pungent dried fermented sea snail)
- Rof (parsley, chili, and garlic stuffing paste)
- Diw tiir (unrefined red palm oil)
Techniques
- Simmering rice directly in fish broth
- Stuffing fresh fish with herb rof
- Developing a crunchy rice crust called xooñ
- Steaming fermented millet couscous over stew
At the table
Meals are typically prepared by female relatives and served in a single communal metal platter (bol) placed on a floor mat, where family members eat rice, greens, and proteins with their right hands or spoons. While coastal Saint-Louis and Dakar center their cuisine around red and white fish thieboudienne, the southern forested Casamance region features heavy uses of unrefined palm oil, wild oysters, and citrus-onion marinades over local rice.
32 recipes across 7 courses
Ask AI for moreBreakfast
Fondé (Millet Flour Pellet Porridge with Nutmeg and Sweet Milk)
Silky, nutty millet arraw pearls simmered into a soothing porridge enriched with sweet curdled milk, butter, and warm fragrant nutmeg.
Lakh (Sweet Fermented Millet Porridge with Curdled Milk)
Steamed sun-dried millet couscous pellets smothered in a velvety, chilled sweet yogurt-curd sauce perfumed with orange blossom and nutmeg.
Ndambé (Senegalese Spiced Black-Eyed Pea Stew)
A hearty, richly seasoned stew of tender black-eyed peas, sweet potato, and spiced tomato gravy scooped up in crusty bread.
Tapalapa (Dense Crusty Hearth Bread)
Heavy, golden Senegalese hearth bread featuring a blistered crust and dense, chewy crumb fortified with cowpea and millet flours.
Soup
Main
Caldo (Citrus-Braised Fish Stew with Palm Oil and Bitter Greens)
Crisp-fried whole white fish simmered in a tangy lime, palm oil, and caramelized onion broth with fresh bitter hibiscus leaves.
Ceebu Gànnaar (Spiced Braised Chicken and Vegetable Broken Rice)
Golden browned chicken and garden vegetables simmered in a rich garlic-parsley broth and steamed over fragrant broken rice.
Ceebu Jën (Senegalese Red Rice with Fish and Vegetables)
Fragrant broken rice cooked in a concentrated tomato-tamarind fish stock with stuffed grouper steaks and braised root vegetables.
Ceebu Yapp (Spiced Braised Beef with Mustard Rice)
Succulent beef braised with aromatics, cooked over broken jasmine rice infused with caramelized onions, Dijon mustard, and pungent fermented sea snails.
Chicken Yassa (Yassa au Poulet)
Char-grilled chicken quarters braised slowly in a sweet and pungent caramelized onion, Dijon mustard, and lime sauce.
Domoda (Tangy Tomato and Flour-Thickened Beef Stew)
Tender beef chunks simmered with root vegetables in a deeply savory, flour-thickened tomato sauce punctuated by bright tamarind and fresh chili.
Kaldou (Braised Fish with Lime, Onions, and White Rice)
Firm white sea fish gently poached in a bright, citrus-spiked onion broth enriched with red palm oil and accompanied by steamed white rice.
Mafé (Senegalese Beef and Peanut Stew)
Tender braised beef simmered with root vegetables in a velvety, deeply roasted peanut and fermented nététou sauce.
Soupou Kandja (Okra and Palm Oil Stew with Smoked Fish and Meat)
A rich, viscous stew of finely minced okra and unrefined red palm oil loaded with smoked fish, tender beef, and umami-packed seafood.
Thieboudienne (Ceebu Jën - Senegalese Fish and Broken Rice)
A UNESCO-inscribed masterwork of herb-stuffed fish, root vegetables, and broken rice braised in a rich fermented tomato broth.
Side
Guedj (Salted and Sun-Dried Fermented Fish Condiment)
A pungent, sun-cured fermented fish bringing deeply savory depth and funk to iconic Senegalese midday braises.
Netetou (Fermented Néré Locust Bean Condiment)
Fermented African locust beans pounded into dense, umami-rich discs that anchor rural Casamance soups and stews.
Roff (Spiced Herb, Garlic, and Chili Stuffing Paste)
An herbaceous, garlicky, fiery Wolof stuffing paste pressed deep into fish flesh before braising or grilling.
Thiéré (Steamed Sun-Dried Fermented Pearl Millet Couscous)
Earthy, fragrant pearl millet couscous gently steamed with baobab leaf powder for an airy, distinctively nutty Senegalese starch base.
Yeet (Fermented Sun-Dried Cymbium Sea Snail)
A treasured Lebou sea snail condiment, buried to ferment and sun-dried to impart an earthy funk to lunch rice pots.
Dessert
Mbouraké (Sweet Crumbled Spiced Bread with Roasted Peanuts)
A classic Senegalese confection of toasted crumbled baguette tossed with ground roasted peanuts, dark brown sugar, and warm aromatic spices.
Ngalakh (Sweet Steamed Millet Couscous with Baobab Purée and Peanut Paste)
A luscious Senegalese festive dessert blending steamed thiakry millet couscous with tangy baobab fruit purée, peanut butter, and aromatic spices.
Sombi (Sweet Coconut Rice Porridge)
Comforting Senegalese rice pudding simmered in rich coconut cream and curdled milk, lightly sweetened and scented with nutmeg and lime zest.
Thiakry (Senegalese Sweet Millet Couscous and Yogurt Parfait)
Fluffy steamed millet couscous folded with sweet, tangy fermented yogurt, nutmeg, vanilla, and evaporated milk.
Drink
Bissap (Hibiscus Calyx and Mint Flower Infusion)
A ruby-red Senegalese cooler balancing tart hibiscus calyces with fresh nanah mint and aromatic orange blossom water over cracked ice.
Bouye (Sweet Baobab Fruit Pulp and Vanilla Nectar)
A luscious, creamy Senegalese baobab nectar blended with sweetened condensed milk and fragrant vanilla for a refreshing, nutrient-dense Sahelian tonic.
Café Touba (Coffee Infused with Selim Pepper and Clove)
A pungent, aromatic Senegalese coffee spiced with roasted Selim pepper pods and cloves, traditionally aerated through dramatic high-pouring.
Kinkéliba (Combretum Leaf Herbal Bush Tea)
A restorative West African herbal morning tea made from simmered Combretum micranthum leaves, lemongrass, and warming ginger sweetened to taste.
Street food
Akara (Deep-Fried Spiced Black-Eyed Pea Fritters)
Crisp, golden black-eyed pea fritters whipped to airy perfection and spiced with fresh garlic, scallions, and fiery scotch bonnet.
Beignets Dougboub (Sweet Fried Millet Doughnuts)
Crisp, golden-brown millet and wheat fritters scented with nutmeg, orange blossom, and vanilla, served piping hot from street cauldrons.
Pain Touffé (Spiced Minced Meat and Onion Baguette Sandwich)
Crusty Senegalese baguettes stuffed with intensely spiced, caramelized minced beef smothered in a sweet, peppery mustard-onion compote.
Pastels (Senegalese Fish Hand Pies with Spicy Sauce)
Golden, flaky crescent pastries stuffed with spiced flaked fish and served with a fiery, garlicky tomato dipping sauce.