SENEGALESE THIÉBOUDIENNE AND CHICKEN YASSA

SEASON 4 EPISODE 6

The Republic of Senegal is a West African country at the extreme west of Africa bordered by Mauritania at the North, Mali to the east, Guinea to the southeast, and Guinea-Bissau to the southwest. It is referred to as the “Gateway to Africa”. The Capital city of Senegal is Dakar with a population of over 16 million people.


Let’s check out some of the Senegalese cuisines which are enjoyed by the people and are among the best and widely eaten dishes in Senegal.

THIÉBOUDIENNE

This is a national dish of Senegal which consists of fish, vegetables and rice.

Ingredients

• Fresh fish
• 2 cups of rice
• Okra
• Chopped tomatoes
• Black pepper
• Chopped onions
• Cloves of garlic
• Tomato paste
• Parsley
• Bay leaves
• Chopped carrots
• Vegetable oil
• Seasoning
• Salt
  

Method of Preparation

1. Clean the fish by removing unwanted parts and washing with water.
2. Prepare the marinade by blending the parsley, garlic, and add a little oil and seasoning.
3. Make small cuts on the body of the fish and apply some of the marinade inside the fish by stuffing it.
4. Add vegetable oil into a cooking pot and heat it up.
5. Add the chopped onions, tomatoes, tomato paste, black pepper, bay leaves, garlic and fry.
6. Add some seasoning, salt and stir fry.
7. Boil the rice in a different cooking pot and drain the water using a sieve when tender.
8. Add the fish and the remaining marinade into the mixture and stir fry for some minutes.
9. Remove the fish and place inside a plate and add the vegetables into the sauce, add some water and allow to cook.
10. After some minutes of cooking, turn off the heat and serve the rice with vegetable and sauce by the side.
    
    

CHICKEN YASSA

This is a Sengalese cuisine made with chicken eaten by a majority of the people in the south-west of the country where the dish is native to.

Ingredients

• Chicken meat
• Vegetable oil
• Seasoning
• Salt
• Bay leaves
• Minced cloves of garlic
• Chopped onions
• Chopped pepper
• Black pepper
• Cayenne pepper
  

Method of Preparation

1. Cut chicken meat into desirable sizes and put it in a bowl, add salt and pepper and mix it well.
2. Add onions, minced garlic, seasoning, black pepper and chopped pepper and mix.
3. Put it in the fridge and allow it to marinate for some hours.
4. Heat a saucepan and add some vegetable oil.
5. Add the marinated chicken meat and allow to saute for some minutes, turn the sides.
6. Remove the chicken and place in a plate, scoop the onion from the bowl and put it inside the saucepan and allow to cook for some minutes.
7. Put the remaining contents from the bowl to the saucepan, add some oil and continue to cook.
8. Add bay leaves and stir well. Put off heat after some minutes and pour the sauce onto the chicken and serve.
   
   

Written and edited by Ebenezer Oladokun