So, about Senegalese food. I’d heard bits and pieces, you know, people mentioning it. Sounded interesting, different. I figured, why not give it a shot? Got curious one day and decided I needed to actually find some and try it.
Finding a place wasn’t super easy at first. Ended up finding this small, kinda hidden spot. Walked in, wasn’t sure what to expect. The smells were totally new. I looked at the menu, mostly names I couldn’t pronounce. Someone suggested I get the Thieboudienne. Said it’s the main thing, the national dish or something. Okay, fine. When it came out, it was this huge plate. Fish, rice, veggies, all kinda cooked together in this reddish sauce. Looked like a lot. Took a bite. Wow. It was… a lot of flavor packed in there. Fish was tender, rice soaked up everything. It wasn’t like anything I usually ate. Pretty heavy stuff, but good.
That kinda got me started. I went back a few times. Tried the Mafé next. That’s a peanut butter stew, usually with lamb or beef. Sounds kinda strange, peanut butter in a main dish, right? But it worked. Really rich, thick sauce. Had it with rice. Super filling. Totally comfort food.
Trying it myself… well, kinda
Then I got this idea, maybe I could cook some Senegalese food at home. Seemed like a fun project. I looked up recipes for Yassa Poulet – chicken marinated in lemon and onions. Sounded simple enough.
- Getting the ingredients was the first hurdle. Finding the right kind of mustard, the specific peppers… took some searching.
- Then the actual cooking. Marinated the chicken for ages, just like they said. Started cooking the onions… so many onions. My eyes were watering like crazy.
- Then I added the chicken back. Maybe the heat was too high? The smoke alarm went off. Twice. The kitchen was a mess.
Honestly, it didn’t turn out great. Edible, yeah, but nothing like the restaurant. Had some friends over that night too. We all had a good laugh about my attempt. Ended up ordering pizza, but hey, the Yassa disaster is still a story we tell. It was an experience, that’s for sure.
Oh, and I also got into drinking Bissap. That’s this hibiscus flower drink. Bright red, a bit tart, really refreshing. Much easier than trying to cook Yassa, just gotta brew it.
So yeah, my journey with Senegal foods. It wasn’t just about eating. It was finding places, trying things I couldn’t pronounce, even failing spectacularly in my own kitchen. It’s hearty food, bold flavors. Definitely shook things up for me. It’s got character, you know? Worth the adventure, even the smoky parts.
