Tag: Senegalese
Sweet Potato Shrimp Fritters
Sweet Potato Shrimp Fritters
So why is there what looks to be a Vietnamese recipe in Senegal? Like Vietnam, Senegal was colonized by France. Many Senegalese fought for France in Vietnam during the Indochina war; many bringing back Vietnamese wives to Senegal. With the connection through France, Senegal saw an increase of Vietnamese, developing a fusion of Senegalese and Vietnamese cuisine. Today, it is common to see spring rolls and shrimp cakes on Senegalese menus.
Ingredients
- 8 oz shrimp peeled and deveined; finely chopped
- 8 oz sweet potato grated
- 2 green onions chopped
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup flour plus more
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- vegetable oil for frying
Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp water
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 red bird’s eye chili finely chopped
- 1 large garlic clove finely chopped
Instructions
- Combine all of the dipping sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- Mix together the shrimp, sweet potato, green onion, fish sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Mix in the flour, egg, and baking powder until a batter is formed. If the batter is too wet, add in an extra tbsp of flour.
- Heat up a 1/4” of cooking oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. Drop a 1/4” cup of the batter in clumps into the oil. Slightly flatten with the back of a spoon.
- Fry the fritters for 4-5 minutes a side until crispy, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
- Drain the grease on a rack.
Jollof Rice with Chicken
Jollof Rice with Chicken
You don’t know what you’re missing until you’ve eaten rice that’s baked in the oven. Jollof rice with chicken is happens to be one of the most popular dishes all over West African countries; originating from Senegal. This is a great dish to make if you’re feeding a lot of people since it all is cooked in one baking dish. The rice is baked in a tomato broth with peas, carrots, onions, and garlic, with chicken pieces layed across the top. With baking rice in the oven, the outside develops a crust with the inside being moist and fluffy, absorbing the chicken juices. This is so good that having seconds is inevitable.
Ingredients
Chicken Seasoning
- 6 bone in chicken thighs
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon powder
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Jollof Rice
- 1 medium onion diced
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups basmati rice washed
- 15 oz canned tomato sauce puréed
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
Instructions
- Mix all of the chicken thigh seasoning ingredients together.
- Season the chicken thighs. Make sure to season under the chicken skin.
- Heat up cooking oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Place the chicken thighs skin side down.
- Brown the chicken for 5 minutes a side. Remove the chicken from the pan.
- Mix all of the rice ingredients together in a 9” x 13” baking dish.
- Place the chicken thighs on top of the rice. Cover the pan with foil. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour.
- Remove from the oven.
- Take the chicken off the top of the rice. Give the rice a stir. Place the chicken back on top of the rice and cook covered for another 30 minutes.
- Take the pan out of the oven. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Fish Yassa
Fish Yassa
Yassa is a popular Senegalese dish, consisting of an onion, lemon, mustard sauce. It is typically prepared with chicken or fish steaks. I used whole tilapia for this dish. They sell them fresh at my local asian market for $1.49lb. It costs less than $5 for 2 of them. If you don't have the proper cutlery at home, have your fish monger cut them into steaks for you. You should be able to get 3-4 steaks out of a whole tilapia.
Ingredients
- 2 whole tilapia cut into steaks
- 1 lemon
- 1 large onion sliced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp green seasoning
- 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tbsp boullion powder
- 1/2 cup water
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- We are going to use whole tilapia for this dish. Any type of bone in firm white fish will work. 1 whole tilapia is a serving.
- Depending on the size, cut the fish into 3-4 steaks, equal thickness. Tilapia are usually around 1 1/2 lbs.
- In a large bowl, mix together the juice of half a lemon, onions, pepper, minced garlic, green seasoning, paprika, boullion powder, and dijon mustard. MArinate the fish in this for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Heat up cooking oil in a lage saute pan over medium high heat. Sear the tilapia steaks for 4 minutes.
- Flip the fish over and sear for another 4 mintues. Set aside.
- In the same pan, add all of the marinade ingredients. Saute for 5 minutes until the onions cook down a little bit.
- Deglaze the pan with a 1/2 cup of water and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add in the fish steaks.Simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Serve with steamed rice.
