Tiep Bou Dienn



In Senegal, country where the majority of the people are of Muslim faith, Christmas is not a traditional holy day, but Christmas day will still be celebrated amongst the Christian community. These celebration will see Muslims and Christians sit together around the National dish the : tiep bou dienn.

Recipe for 8 people:
  • 2 sea bream, gutted, washed and cut in 6 pieces
  • 50g of dried cod
  • 1 bundle of fresh parsley
  • 5 sprigs of fresh basil
  • 2 small white onions
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 sprig of thyme
  • 1 onion
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 15 cl vegetable oil
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 6 carrots
  • 4 sweet potatoes
  • 2 aubergines (eggplants)
  • 12 gombos
  • 500g rice
  • salt and pepper
For the sauce:
  • 500g of shrimps from Senegal
  • 1 onion
  • 2 large tomatoes
  • the juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 white turnips
  • 3 cherry chilies
  • 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
  • 1/2 root of fresh ginger
Soak the dried cod in some fresh water. Peel, wash the white onions and cloves of garlic. Finely chop the garlic, white onions and herbs. Mix them well together.

Fill the sea bream pieces with herb, onions and garlic mixture.

Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and seed the tomatoes. Chop them. Sweat of the onion and the chopped tomatoes. Add the fish pieces and the cod and add 30 cl of water. Cover and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Then, take the cooked fish pieces out of your cast iron pot and add the chopped aubergines, sweet potatoes, carrots along with 3.5 litres of water. Cover and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the gombos and cook for another 5 minutes. Set aside. Take 2 large ladles of bouillon and cook the rice in it.

Meanwhile, peel and wash all the vegetables for the sauce. Slice them and blanch the carrots and turnips. Then, in a cast iron pot, heat up the oil and stir fry the shrimps. Then add the finely sliced onion, ginger and chilies. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, carrots, turnip and tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes. Then add the lemon juice. Allow to cook for 15 minutes.

Serve putting the rice on a round tray, place the fish pieces on the top of it. Spoon the vegetable around it and pour some of the sauce over. Serve the rest of the sauce separately, in a sauce boat.


Gluten free, lactose free, nut free, suitable for pregnant women.

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