Senegalese Fish and Rice (Ceebu Jën) — Tomato-Braised National Dish

• 900 gfirm white fish steaks (grouper, sea bass, or red snapper, cut into 6 thick portions)
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 2 tbsplemon juice
• 1 bunchflat-leaf parsley (stems trimmed)
• 6 clovegarlic
• 4scallions
• 1Scotch bonnet pepper (stemmed and seeded for medium heat)
• 1 tspblack peppercorns
• 2 tbspdried fermented locust beans (netetou, rinsed)
• 120 mlpeanut oil
• 2yellow onions (finely chopped)
• 140 gtomato paste
• 3ripe tomatoes (grated or finely chopped)
• 60 gdried salted fish (guedj, rinsed well)
• 40 gsmoked sea snail or smoked fish (yet, optional but traditional)
• 1.8 lwater
• 3carrots (peeled and halved crosswise)
• 1green cabbage (small head, cut into 6 wedges)
• 450 gcassava (peeled, woody core removed, cut into large chunks)
• 1sweet potato (large, peeled and cut into 6 chunks)
• 2African eggplants (or 1 small globe eggplant cut into large chunks)
• 8okra
• 600 gbroken jasmine rice (preferably broken rice, rinsed until the water runs nearly clear)
• 30 gtamarind paste
• 90 mlhot cooking broth (reserved from the pot to loosen the tamarind)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the rof by pounding the parsley, garlic, scallions, seeded Scotch bonnet, black peppercorns, locust beans, and 1 tsp fine sea salt in a mortar until coarse and fragrant. If using a food processor, pulse in short bursts so the mixture stays textured rather than turning into a wet puree.

2. 2

   Pat the fish dry, rub it with 1 tsp fine sea salt and the lemon juice, then cut a deep slit into the flesh side of each portion without cutting through the skin. Pack about 1 tbsp of rof into each slit and reserve the remaining rof for the sauce.

3. 3

   Rinse the broken rice in several changes of cool water until the water is only faintly cloudy, then drain it thoroughly for 10 minutes. This washing is important because broken rice releases excess starch quickly and can become heavy if it is not well rinsed.

4. 4

   Heat the peanut oil in a wide heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Fry the stuffed fish for 2 minutes per side to lightly brown it, then transfer the fish to a tray; it will finish cooking later in the broth.

5. 5

   Reduce the heat to medium and add the chopped onions to the same oil. Cook for 8 minutes, scraping the browned fish bits from the bottom, then add the tomato paste and fry for 5 minutes until the paste darkens to a brick-red color.

6. 6

   Stir in the chopped tomatoes, dried salted fish, smoked sea snail or smoked fish, and the reserved rof. Cook for 6 minutes, then pour in 1.8 l water and bring the broth to a steady simmer.

7. 7

   Add the carrots, cabbage, cassava, sweet potato, eggplants, okra, and the whole Scotch bonnet to the pot. Simmer for 25 minutes, then return the browned fish to the pot and cook for 12 minutes more, removing the fish and vegetables as they become tender so they keep their shape.

8. 8

   When all fish and vegetables have been removed, measure the broth remaining in the pot; you need about 1.05 l for 600 g broken rice. If there is more than 1.05 l, boil it briskly to reduce, and if there is less, add measured hot water to reach 1.05 l.

9. 9

   Stir the drained rice and 1.5 tsp fine sea salt into the seasoned broth, then cover the pot tightly and cook over low heat for 22 minutes. Do not stir during this stage, because the rice should steam and absorb the tomato broth without breaking down.

10. 10

    Mix the tamarind paste with 90 ml hot cooking broth to make a sharp sauce and set it beside the platter. Fluff the rice gently, mound it on a large serving dish, arrange the fish and vegetables over the top, and spoon a small amount of tamarind sauce around the edge.