Venez manger! (Part One)

So folks, as the weeks wind down, I've just realized that you are probably what I've been eating these last four months.  Though I mention it occasionally in passing posts, I would like to dedicate my two-weeks-to-go post to, yes, FOOD.  (Due to the lack of photogenicness of Senegalese cuisine as well as camera availability during meals, I take credit for most but not all the photos.)

I. Main Dishes

The traditional dishes in Senegal are based around the following staple ingredients: fish, chicken, sheep, rice, Moroccan couscous, and ground millet.  Sauces are frequently oil, tomato, and onion-based, spiced with garlic, paprika, mustard, and the famous orange "pimon" (pepper).  A few vegetables such as carrots, manioc, and potato are added to dishes but are considered more of garnishes than key ingredients.  If eating communal, the rice or couscous is first spread over the platter then the sauce and meat is poured atop.  You may eat either with the left hand or a large spoon.  If served as an individual dish, usually the starch will be served on a plate and the sauce in a separate bowl.  You would then spoon the sauce over-top the rice as needed.

The National Dish: Ceebujen

This big guy is the national dish of Senegal.  Whole fish is boiled in tomato sauce and served atop seasoned rice.  The rice is actually cooked in the tomato-fish broth rather than steamed traditionally, hence why it has a reddish color.  And this dish has veggies!  Usually, one of each vegetable is prepared per batch: carrot, potato, sour eggplant, manioc, and sweet potato.  The juice of the Senegalese pimon can be squeezed over-top the rice, or a pimon relish is served on the side.  I did not really like ceebujen when I first came to Senegal, but times have changed!  My family now saves a small pot for my dinner on Fridays since I can't make it home for lunch.

The Personal Favorite: Mafé

Chunks of meat (beef or sheep) are slow-cooked in a thick, medium-spicy brown sauce.  Peanuts are roasted and ground into a heavy paste that serves as the base of the dish.  Oil, garlic, and a diced potato or two later, this stew-like sauce is poured over rice or occasionally Moroccan couscous.  Mafé is usually made every Wednesday in my house, and I can usually sneak some after school.

The Sweet and Salty: Yassa

There are two choices for Yassa- poisson (fish) or poulet (chicken [pictured above]).  The protein is grilled over a charcoal fire then simmered in the sweet and salty Yassa sauce.  Onions, onions, onions with a splash of oil, mustard, lemon juice, and spice make this dish one of Senegal's easiest and tastiest dishes to prepare.  No vegetables in this guy, unless you count the french fries that sometimes replace the rice as the starch.

The One to Eat Just to Say You Did: Soupou Kanja








Not the most popular dish among foreigners, this seafood and okra-based meal is (literally) hard to swallow.  Its thick slimy texture and strong flavor overpower the bits of shrimp, lobster, and snail that swim around the bowl.  Served over rice or steamed millet, it's the dish you should order once just so you can say you've tried it.  You never know, maybe stewed okra is just your thing after all.  (Think the picture looks appetizing? The restaurant where I took it does a nice job of disguising it.)

II. The Ivorian Way

So as you may know, I actually live with a family from the Côte D'Ivoire.  They have lived in Senegal for quite some time and have a Senegalese maid, so as a result, I get the best of both worlds when it comes to African cooking!  Many of the staples are the same between Senegal and Côte D'Ivoire, but there are a few things you just won't eat in the normal Wolof home.

The One That Grew on Me: Attiéké

Mashed and steamed manioc is the staple of the Ivorian diet.  This pale yellow starch resembles rice in size and stickiness but tastes nothing like it.  Attiéké is chewy, slightly bitter, and easier to eat with your hands than a utensil.  A whole grilled fish and a raw onion vinaigrette are served on the side.  It took about two months, but this dish became one of my favorites.  The only problem?  The war in Côte D'Ivoire has prevented my family from acquiring their usual supply, so we ate our last attiéké meal about three weeks ago.  And just when I started loving the sticky yellow stuff...

The Occasional Treat: Aloco

A yummy little bonus of living in my house, aloco (fried plantains) doesn't need too much explaining!  Because they are native to Côte D'Ivoire rather than Senegal, plantains are an occasional but tasty side dish at dinner.  They usually have a slight fish and potato taste since all three are cooked in the same oil during preparation, but I try not to complain about the little things.  However, they are usually a little mushier than I like after sitting in a bowl on the counter for 2 hours.  My aunt likes to make them in substantial light, and when the power goes out, it's a little harder to fry plantains properly at 9 pm by candlelight.

To be continued...