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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.
The story
In the northern and central desert regions of Mauritania, Kseksou featuring dromedary camel meat is the ultimate culinary centerpiece reserved for Friday communal lunches, weddings, and honoring esteemed travelers. The dish represents a masterclass in Mauritanian culinary patience, where semolina is hand-rolled and triple-steamed over the fragrant steam of simmering camel broth. Desert cooks value camel hump fat above all else, rendering it into the base pot to imbue the root vegetables with an unmistakable, deeply savory richness impossible to replicate with beef.
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