Thieboudienne (Senegalese Spiced Fish and Red Rice)
Thieboudienne, or ceebu jën, is Senegal's national dish: fish with rice cooked red in a spiced tomato sauce with vegetables. This is a quick take for one, ready in 30 minutes, with a garlic, lime and chilli white fish fillet on carrot and potato rice.
Per portion
Calories from protein 21%, carbs 57%, fat 22%. Estimated from the ingredients.
Roughly £2.90 a portion.
Method
- 1
Fry the tomato puree, 1 garlic clove and half the chilli flakes in a splash of oil for 1 minute, then add the chopped tomatoes, carrot, potato, ½ tsp salt and 250ml water. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- 2
Stir in the rice, cover and simmer gently for 12–15 minutes until the rice is tender and red from the sauce and the vegetables are soft. Cooking for more? Once it boils, let it bubble uncovered for 2–3 minutes before you cover it, and allow a few minutes longer: keep it covered until the rice is tender and the liquid absorbed.
- 3
Meanwhile, finely grate the zest from the lime and mix it with the rest of the garlic and chilli flakes, a pinch of salt and a few drops of oil. Rub this over the fish, then fry in a little oil over medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes each side until golden and just cooked through. Any firm white fish works.
- 4
Serve the fish on the rice and vegetables with a wedge of lime to squeeze over.
Cook's notes
- Sizes. Vegetables, fruit and eggs are medium unless the recipe says otherwise. A tin is a standard 400g tin.
- Dairy. Salted or unsalted butter both work; with salted, go easy on any extra salt. Use full-fat soured cream, crème fraîche and yoghurt in anything hot, as low-fat versions split.
- Stock. A cube or pot made up as the packet says. Cubes are salty, so taste before adding more salt.
- Heat. Medium means a gentle sizzle, not spitting. High means the oil shimmers before the food goes in. A simmer is a few lazy bubbles, not a rolling boil. Leave the lid off unless the recipe says to cover.
- Pans. A small saucepan is about 16cm and a frying pan about 24cm. Sauces reduce faster in a wider pan, so go by how it looks rather than the clock.
- Doneness. Chicken and turkey should reach 75°C in the thickest part, pork 65 to 70°C, and beef steak 55°C for medium-rare. Rest steaks and chops for a few minutes before slicing.
- Finishing. Taste before serving. Most dishes want a pinch more salt, and a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar lifts anything rich.
- Leftovers. Cool quickly, cover and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days, then reheat until piping hot. Cooked rice keeps for 1 day and should only be reheated once.
solosupper.co.uk/recipes/thieboudienne-senegalese-spiced-fish-and-red-rice/
