Lifestyle/Culture
Senegalese Cuisine: Thieboudienne THIEBOUDIENNE CAN BE MADE with an assortment of different vegetables so you can easily use what you like or have on hand. It calls for a few unique ingredients. Smoked fish is one which adds great flavor. Another is a spice called netetou which is a fermented bean that is ground up (http:// www.sene-store.com/home/79-netetou-powder.html). This spice has a strong unpleasant scent but completely changes into an umami flavoring when cooked. You can use any type of white firm fish you like but grouper or snapper are most authentic. Additionally you can use the whole fish or just fillets. If using the whole fish you stuff the puree into slits or if using fillets you can marinade them in the puree, just plan some extra time for that. It should refrigerate for a couple of hours to absorb the delicious flavor. Ingredients • 1 1/2 cups rice broken rice • 4 Large pieces white fish snapper or grouper • 3 tomatoes mashed • 3 Ttablespoons tomato paste • 1 bunch parsley crushed • 1 large Carrot peeled and cut into medium pieces • 1 sweet potato peeled & chopped into large chunks • 1 large onion chopped • 4 cloves garlic finely chopped (divided) • 1 small eggplant sliced • 1 small cabbage cut into 4 pieces • 1/2 cup peanut oil • 2 Maggi cubes • 4 bay leaves • 1 Tablespoon nététou • 2 Tablespoons smoked fish shredded or ground • 2 habanero peppers de-seeded and diced • 1 Tablespoon black pepper 90
September-October 2020
• salt to taste • 4 okra • 6 cups hot water
Preparation Prepare the stuffing or puree/marinade for fish: 1. In a food processor or mortar and pestle blend or crush the parsley, half the garlic, 1 Maggi cube, plus a little salt and pepper to taste and a spoon of oil. 2. Cut slits if in the flesh of the fish and stuff the puree inside or slather the fillets with the puree and refrigerate for a couple of hours. (Reserve leftover puree) Make the tomato sauce. 3. Heat the oil to medium high and add the onions, tomatoes, tomato paste, the black pepper and remaining garlic. Then fry for 15 minutes. 4. Add the stuffed or marinated fish into the tomato sauce. 5. Add the Maggi cube, bay leaves, nététou, smoked fish, habaneros and 1 cup of water. 6. Simmer until the fish pieces are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove the fish and add vegetables 7. Remove the fish pieces and add all the vegetables except okra with 1 cup of water and cook the vegetables until they are cooked approximately 25-30 minutes. 8. You must ensure that the vegetables are tender before removing them, but take care to not overcook them. 9. Then add the okra with water. Cook for 5 minutes more then remove the okra. Cooking the Rice 10. Cook the rice over low heat, stir often and cook until tender. DAWN
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