Thiéboudiene

Thiéboudiene is Senegal's national dish. It is 100% a Senegalese cultural heritage. Some neighboring nations even refer to it as djolof rice - after one of Senegal's old kingdoms.

Thiéboudiene is created with rice - which is cooked in marinara sauce - as well as nokos, a blend of dried herbs that include parsley and plenty of garlic. The rice is eaten with fish and a variety of plants that have been simmered in the marinara sauce. However, caution is advised; this meal cannot contain any vegetables. The recipe consists of just carrots, celery, tapioca, eggplant, okra, and turnip. In some rarer occasions, this famous dish is served with an onion sauce (known as diaga) which comprises chopped vegetables, shrimp dumplings, and a spoonful of tomato paste.

Thiéboudiene, like many other Senegalese foods, is presented on a huge platter with the entire family sitting around it, spoons in hand, ready to taste this delectable delicacy.