Thiéboudiène - Senegalese Jollof Rice with Fish and Vegetables - How to Cook Senegal's National Dish

Thiéboudiène, an emblematic dish of Senegal, is a delicious blend of rice, fish, and vegetables simmered together in one pot. Each ingredient is cooked to perfection, with adapted cooking times. For example, at the end of cooking, I remove all the elements except the flavorful sauce, allowing the rice to simmer over low heat until it is perfectly infused with the aromas. It is crucial not to stir the rice once the lid is on, so that the grains remain intact, slightly oily, and non-sticky.

This generously spiced dish is enriched with two umami-rich ingredients: yet, a dried and fermented crustacean, and guedj, a salted and dried fish. A small amount of these ingredients is sufficient, as their flavor is intense. Although sometimes difficult to find, they are essential to respect the tradition of the dish. However, if you cannot source them, do not be discouraged: the dish remains delicious without them.

For the choice of fish, opt for whole pieces that will hold up well during cooking. Avoid fillets, which may disintegrate. Thiéboudiène also offers the opportunity to enjoy a variety of vegetables, such as cassava, African eggplants, and peppers. Don't forget to adjust the cooking times so that the vegetables are tender without falling apart. Dried hibiscus flowers (Bissap), with their tangy taste, add a perfect finishing touch, and they pair very well with the fish, but tamarind can also be used as a substitute. Finish the dish by adding a splash of lime juice to enhance the flavors. Enjoy your meal!

Ingredients for 6 servings

Stuffing:
1/2 medium onion
15g fresh parsley
10g garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 bell pepper
Optional: 1/2 hot pepper (mild or hot according to your taste)

Aromatic Paste - Nokkos:
1/2 medium onion
35g fresh parsley
30g garlic
3 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
3/4 bell pepper
Optional: 1 tsp netetou* (see Notes)

Other ingredients:
1-1.5kg fish (Red snapper in this recipe - you can use barracuda, barramundi, grouper, sea bream, bass, pike, hake, tilapia)
2 carrots
1 turnip or parsnip
1 eggplant
1/4 white cabbage
1/4 butternut squash
1 cassava**
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 small sweet peppers
2 habanero peppers
1 medium onion
15-30g yet*** (1 to 2 pieces of dried crustacean, optional)
20g guedj**** (salted and dried fish, optional)
3g dried white hibiscus flowers or 10g tamarind
1 lime
250ml sunflower oil
2 bay leaves
150g double concentrated tomato paste
2L water
500g broken rice "broken twice" (2.5 cups)
Optional:
3 African eggplants
2 small sweet and/or vegetarian peppers
2-3 okra

Notes:
*Very popular in Senegalese cuisine, netetou (also known as dawadawa and sumbala) is made from African locust bean seeds, which are ground, fermented, and dried to obtain a spicy seasoning for sauces.
**Cassava is a very popular tuber worldwide and very rich in starch. It has a firm and consistent texture. It is with cassava that tapioca starch is produced.
***Yet or yète is a mollusk also known as "cymbium olla". Very aromatic, it is usually dried and fermented on the beaches of Senegal. This mollusk, with its circular shell, is consumed in all regions of Senegal. It is especially prized in coastal regions where culinary tradition is closely linked to the sea. Abroad, you can only buy it at Senegalese or African markets.
****Guedj - also used to flavor rice, it is a salted and dried fish. For this cooking, put it in a bag to retain the fish bones.