Cheb ou Jen or Thieboudienne

It's time the world disovered the rich cuisine of Senegal. Cheb ou Jen or Thieboudienne, this deliciously aromatic fish and rice dish is a great way to start the journey.

Cheb ou Jen, National dish of Senegal can be desctibed as paella on steroids. Make sure to carve out at leat 3 hours and invite your entire family to enjoy this feast!

Cheb ou Jen

Ingredients

·         3 to 4 lean whole fish with firm flesh (grouper, sea bream, bass, pike, hake, tilapia or snapper)

·         1 bunch parsley, chopped

·         4 cloves garlic, chopped

·         4 hot peppers (Scotch Bonnet or habanero), chopped (optional)

·         2 beef cubes (or vegetable cubes)

·         1 tsp nététou (ground locust bean)

·          1 small piece of yeet, Senegalese dried snail (if available)

·         1 cup vegetable oil

·         1 onion, chopped

·         4 tablespoons tomato paste

·         1 (16 oz.) can peeled tomatoes

·         4 bay leaves

·         2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

·         2 potatoes (or sweet potatoes), peeled and cut into chunks

·         1 eggplant, thickly sliced

·         1 cabbage, cut into wedges

·         1 cassava root peeled and cut into chunks

·         6 okras

·         4 cups broken rice (or jasmine rice)

·         1 lime, sliced

·         Salt

·         Pepper

Method

1.            Prepare fish stuffing. Mix parsley, 2 garlic cloves, shallots, 2 hot peppers (if using), stock cube and salt with a mortar and pestle. Set aside.

2.            Clean the fish if necessary. Rinse and dry with paper towels. Make 2 to 3 deep diagonal cuts in each fish. Stuff each fish cut with the mixture.

3.            Heat the vegetable oil in a deep skillet. Fry fish for 6 to 7 minutes on each side and set aside.

4.            Reduce heat and add the remaining 2 garlic cloves and onion. Add the remaining 2 peppers and mix for 5 minutes.

5.            Meanwhile, grind the remaining stock cube, yeet and nététou using a food processor.

6.            Pour the powder, tomato paste and peeled tomatoes in the pan. Add salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the bay leaves and 1 cup (250ml) of water. Simmer for 20-30 minutes over low heat.

7.            Add the vegetables to the pot and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the vegetables as they are cooked through but still firm and reserve.

8.            Add the rice, previously rinsed and add enough water to cover the rice, about 4 cups (1l).

9.            Cook 20 to 30 minutes uncovered. Stir occasionally while cooking.

10.         Add the vegetables and fish back to the pan and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

11.         Place rice and vegetables and fish pieces on each plate. Serve hot with lemon or lime slices.