Thieboudienne: Senegalese Jollof Rice and Fish

In your food processor (or mortar and pestle), combine the parsley, 3 cloves of garlic, 1 scotch bonnet, 1 tsp shrimp bouillon, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Grind into a rough, vibrant green paste.

Rinse your fish steaks and pat them dry.

Use your fingers or a small spoon to stuff these pockets generously with the green parsley paste. Rub any leftover paste over the outside of the fish.

Heat the 1 cup of vegetable oil in your large pot over medium-high heat.

Gently remove the fish from the oil and set aside on a clean plate. (The fish will finish cooking later).

In the same oil (which now holds all the flavorful bits of parsley and fish), add the sliced onions. Sauté over medium heat until they turn soft and translucent (about 3-4 minutes).

Add the 1 cup of tomato paste. Stir-fry continuously for about 5 minutes. The paste will darken and start to fry in the oil—this deepens the flavor and removes the raw metallic tomato taste.

Stir in the 3 minced cloves of garlic and 2 chopped/ground scotch bonnets. Stir-fry for another 2 minutes until incredibly fragrant.

Pour in 8 cups of water.

Add the 3 tbsp of shrimp bouillon and 1 tsp of black pepper. Stir well. Taste the liquid now—it should taste highly seasoned and slightly salty (the rice and vegetables will absorb a lot of it). Add salt to taste if needed.

Add the tough vegetables first: slide in the sweet potato chunks, carrots, and cabbage wedges, along with the 3 whole scotch bonnets and bell peppers. Reduce heat to a medium simmer.

Cook until tender (test with a fork). As vegetables finish cooking, use a slotted spoon to gently lift them out of the broth and place them on a large serving platter.

Add the eggplant wedges last (as they cook very quickly), simmer until soft, and remove.

Once all vegetables are out, lower the stuffed, seared fish steaks back into the bubbling broth. Let them simmer for 2 to 5 minutes to soak up the juices and cook completely through. Gently lift the fish out and place it on the platter with the vegetables.

Completely drain the water from your soaking jasmine rice.

Look at the broth left in your pot. It should be rich and red. Ideally, the liquid should be just enough to sit barely above the level of the rice once added. (If it looks like too much liquid, ladle 1-2 cups out into a bowl and save it just in case; if it looks low, you can add a touch of water).

Pour the drained rice into the boiling broth. Stir gently once to distribute.

The Steam Seal (Crucial): Cover the pot tightly. Tip: Place a sheet of aluminum foil over the top of the pot, then press the lid down hard over it to trap 100% of the steam.

Drop the heat to low-medium and let it simmer undisturbed for 15 to 20 minutes.

At the 15-minute mark, open it and check the rice. The moisture should be absorbed, and the rice should be tender and fluffy.

Troubleshooting: If the liquid is fully gone but the rice grains still feel hard in the center, sprinkle 4 tablespoons of water (or your reserved broth) over the top, re-seal with the foil, and cook on low for another 5 minutes.

Thieboudienne is traditionally served family-style on one large communal platter.

Mound the fluffy red Jollof rice across the base of a large platter.

Arrange the tender pieces of fish right in the center.

Surround the fish beautifully with the large pieces of cabbage, carrots, eggplant, and sweet potato.

Provide lime wedges on the side—squeezing fresh lime juice over the fish and rice just before eating balances the rich, savory depth perfectly!