Cuisine Africana – Senegalese Thieboudienne

Cuisine Africana – Senegalese Thieboudienne

Senegalese Thieboudienne (Cheh-boo-jen) Ceebu jen (cheh-boo jen) is one of the most popular dishes in Senegal, especially along the coast. A Wolof te

Cuisine Africana: Vegetable Soup: Oha
Cuisine Africana: Senegalese Cuisines
cuisine africana: Ghana’s Banku with Okro Soup

Senegalese Thieboudienne (Cheh-boo-jen)
Ceebu jen (cheh-boo jen) is one of the most popular dishes in Senegal, especially along the coast. A Wolof term meaning “rice and fish,” ceebu jen is a tomatoey mix of fish, rice and cooked vegetables that shows a strong resemblance to Spanish paella and Creole jambalaya.

senegal-thieboudienne
A wide variety of vegetables and fish can be used, making ceebu jen an extremely versatile dish. Also spelled thieboudienne, tiéboudienne, thiep bou dien, cep bu jën.
4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
•    Whole fish (or fillets, see variations), cleaned — about 2 pounds
•    Parsley, finely chopped — 1/4 cup
•    Hot chile peppers, finely chopped — 2 or 3
•    Garlic, minced — 2 or 3 cloves
•    Salt and pepper — to season
•    Peanut, red palm or vegetable oil — 1/4 cup
•    Onions, chopped — 2
•    Tomato paste — 1/4 cup
•    Stock or water — 5 cups
•    Carrots, cut into rounds – 3
•    Cabbage, cut into wedges — 1/2 head
•    Pumpkin or winter squash, peeled and cubed — 1/2 pound
•    Eggplant, cubed — 1
•    Rice — 2 cups
•    Salt and pepper — to season
•    Lemons, cut into wedges — 3
Method
1.    Rinse the fish inside and out with cool water and pat dry. Cut three diagonal slashes about 1/2 inch deep in each side of the fish. Mix the chopped parsley, chile peppers, garlic, salt and pepper and stuff the mixture (called roff) into the slashes on the fish.
2.    Heat the oil in a large, deep pot over medium-high flame. Brown the fish on both sides in the hot oil and remove to a plate.
3.    Add the chopped onions to the hot oil and saute until cooked through and just beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and about 1/4 cup of water and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
4.    Stir in the stock or water, carrots, cabbage, pumpkin and eggplant and simmer over medium heat for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked through and tender. Add the browned fish and simmer for another 15 minutes or so. Remove the fish and vegetables and about 1 cup of the broth to a platter, cover and set in a warm oven.
5.    Strain the remaining broth, discarding the solids. Add enough water to the broth to make 4 cups and return to heat. Bring the broth to a boil, stir in the rice and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked through and tender.
6.    Spread the cooked rice in a large serving platter, including any crispy bits (the xooñ) sticking to the bottom of the pan. Spread the vegetables over the center of the rice and top with the fish. Finally, pour the reserved broth over all. Serve with lemon wedges. Ceebu jen is traditionally eaten with the hands from a common serving dish.
Ceebu Jen Variations
•    Fish: You can use whole fish or fish fillets. Any firm white-fleshed fish works well. If using fillets, try marinating the fillets in the parsley mixture (roff) instead of using it as a stuffing, then add the roff to the sauteing onions. Most Senegalese also add small amounts of smoked, dried fish (guedge) and fermented snails (yete) to ceebu jen. They add an incomparable, smoky flavor.
•    Vegetables: Use any vegetables you have on hand. Try yams, cassava, potatoes, green beans, zucchini, okra or bell peppers. You can use any hot chile pepper for heat, but Scotch bonnet peppers come closest to those used in Senegal.
•    Ceebu Yapp (Beef with rice and vegetables): Marinate 2 pounds of stewing beef in the roff mixture for at least 1 hour. Brown the meat in the hot oil and set aside. Brown the onions and roff in the oil, then stir in the tomato paste as indicated. Add the stock or water and return the beef to the pot, but don’t put in the vegetables yet. Simmer the beef for 1 to 1/2 hours. Then add the vegetables and 8 to 10 shelled hard-boiled eggs and simmer for 45 minutes. Continue with the recipe as indicated.

For More Juicy Stories, Get your copy of GENESIS INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE, (Issue 9). Available with the vendors, and online on jumia.com.ng, konga.com. Available also internationally in the USA in all Barnes & Nobles Stores, Chapters booksellers in Canada and isubscribe.com in UK.  

COMMENTS

WORDPRESS: 9
  • Di solito non leggo post sui blog, tuttavia vorrei dire che questo articolo mi ha molto costretto a provare a farlo! Il tuo stile di scrittura mi ha sorpreso. Grazie, ottimo articolo.

  • Like!! Really appreciate you sharing this blog post.Really thank you! Keep writing.

  • Usually I don at learn post on blogs, however I would like to say that this write-up very forced me to try and do so! Your writing style has been surprised me. Thanks, very great article.

  • Well I really enjoyed reading it. This subject provided by you is very constructive for good planning.

  • Bueno, disfruté mucho leyéndolo. Este tema proporcionado por usted es muy constructivo para una buena planificación.

  • What a funny blog! I actually loved watching this humorous video with my relatives as well as with my colleagues.

  • I was suggested this web site by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about my trouble. You are incredible! Thanks!

  • Usually I do not read article on blogs, but I wish to say that this write-up very forced me to check out and do it! Your writing taste has been amazed me. Thanks, quite great article.

  • You can certainly see your enthusiasm in the work you write. The world hopes for more passionate writers like you who aren at afraid to say how they believe. Always go after your heart.

  • DISQUS: 0