Senegalese Thieboudienne
Senegalese Thieboudienne is a hearty and flavorful one-pot dish, traditionally featuring fish, broken rice, and a medley of vegetables cooked in a rich, spiced tomato sauce. This recipe for 10 people highlights the robust flavors of West African cuisine, promising a satisfying and authentic culinary experience in about 90 minutes.
Equipment
- 1 Large Dutch Oven or Heavy-Bottomed Pot Essential for stewing the sauce, vegetables, and rice.
- 1 Large Frying Pan For frying the fish separately before adding to the stew.
- 1 Chef's knife For chopping all vegetables and herbs.
- 1 Cutting Board For safe and efficient preparation.
- 1 Slotted Spoon or Ladle For carefully removing fried fish and cooked vegetables.
Ingredients
Main
- 3 tilapia cleaned and cut into 4 pieces each
- 3 branches of parsley finely chopped
- 3 branches of cilantro finely chopped
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon of thyme
- 3 green onions finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon of afro fusion cuisines’ all purpose seasoning
- 4 ounces of tomato paste
- 2 plum tomatoes finely chopped
- 3 medium onions finely chopped
- 3 lb broken rice broken one once or twice
- 1 cup of oil
- Salt black pepper
- Vegetables of your choices
- 2 large carrots root cut into 4 inches pieces
- 1 eggplant root cut into 4 inches pieces
- 1 cassava or yucca root cut into 4 inches pieces
- 3 okra
Instructions
- Prepare the fish by seasoning the tilapia pieces with some chopped parsley, cilantro, green onions, all-purpose seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Allow to marinate briefly.
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Carefully fry the seasoned tilapia until golden and cooked through, then gently remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, add the chopped medium onions and sauté until softened and translucent. Stir in the tomato paste and chopped plum tomatoes, cooking for about 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly to deepen the color and flavor.
- Add the bay leaves, thyme, and the remaining chopped parsley, cilantro, and green onions. Incorporate Afro Fusion Cuisines’ all-purpose seasoning, and adjust with additional salt and black pepper.
- Pour in enough water or fish stock to create a rich, simmering sauce base. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil.
- Add the harder vegetables (carrots, cassava/yucca root) to the simmering sauce. Cook until they are about halfway tender.
- Next, add the quicker-cooking vegetables (eggplant, okra) and continue to cook until all vegetables are tender but still hold their shape. Carefully remove all cooked vegetables from the pot and set aside with the fish.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning of the remaining sauce in the pot. Add the broken rice, ensuring it is fully submerged in the liquid. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid (broken rice cooks faster, usually 15-20 minutes).
- Once the rice is nearly done, gently nestle the cooked fish and vegetables back into the pot on top of the rice to warm through for the last 5-10 minutes.
- Remove from heat, let the Thieboudienne rest for a few minutes, then serve family-style, with the flavorful rice at the bottom, topped with the fish and vegetables.
Notes
For a richer flavor, consider lightly toasting the broken rice before adding it to the pot, and use a high-quality fish stock instead of plain water if available. To prevent the fish from breaking apart and drying, pan-fry it until just cooked, then gently set it aside and reintroduce it towards the very end to simply warm through. Add vegetables in stages according to their firmness; start with carrots and cassava, then introduce eggplant and okra later to ensure they are tender but not mushy. Adjust seasoning throughout the cooking process, particularly salt, as flavors deepen. A common pitfall is overcooking the broken rice, which can lead to a sticky texture; monitor closely and adjust liquid as needed. Garnish generously with fresh cilantro and green onions for vibrant presentation and aromatic enhancement.