Thieboudienne / Ceebu Jën (Mauritanian Fish and Rice)

  • Total time - 2 hours 15 minutes
  • Preparation - 30 minutes
  • Cooking/Braising - 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Servings: 6
  • Country: Mauritania
A large plate of red-stained Thieboudienne rice, topped with pieces of fish and cooked vegetables.

Thieboudienne is a dish that requires patience, but the result is worth it. It is prepared by first cooking the sauce with the fish and vegetables, and then cooking the rice in that flavourful sauce, allowing it to absorb all the rich tastes.

The fish 'thiof' is traditionally used, but you can use any firm white fish, such as snapper, pollock, or tilapia. The vegetables vary by season but often include carrots, eggplant, and manioc (yuca).

Ingredients

For the Fish and Rof (Stuffing)

  • 1.2 kg firm white fish (e.g., snapper, cod), cut into 6 portions
  • to taste Rof (a mixture of parsley, garlic, onion, and chili), for stuffing the fish
  • to taste salt and pepper

For the Sauce and Rice

  • 500 g rice (ideally broken white rice, e.g., Basmati), pre-rinsed
  • 150 ml vegetable oil
  • 2 large pieces onion, chopped
  • 5 tbsp tomato paste (concentrate)
  • 1.5 liter water/broth (beef, vegetable, or fish)
  • 3 pieces carrots, cut into large pieces
  • 2 medium pieces manioc (yuca), peeled and cut into pieces (optional)
  • 1 piece eggplant, cut into large pieces
  • 0.5 head cabbage, cut into quarters (optional)

Instructions

Step 1: Preparing and Stuffing the Fish (Rof)

Clean the fish and make a few deep cuts. Stuff these cuts with the Rof mixture (parsley, garlic, onion, chili). Set aside the remaining mixture.

Lightly salt and pepper the fish. Sear it in hot oil (150 ml) for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the fish and set it aside.

Step 2: Preparing the Sauce Base (Thieb)

Add the chopped onion to the oil where the fish was seared. Sauté for 10 minutes until softened. Add the tomato paste and cook for another 15–20 minutes, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste darkens and starts releasing oil. This is crucial for the deep flavour of the sauce (Thieb).

Step 3: Cooking the Vegetables and Fish

Add the broth/water and all the roots and hard vegetables (carrots, manioc, eggplant). Salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 minutes.

Then add the cabbage and return the seared fish to the pot. Cook for another 15 minutes. Gently remove the fish and all the vegetables and set them aside on a plate. Keep the remaining liquid (sauce) in the pot.

Step 4: Cooking the Rice

Add the rinsed rice to the liquid remaining in the pot. The liquid should be about 1.5 cm above the rice. If there is too little, add broth/water. Bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to minimum, cover, and cook until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and softened (about 25–30 minutes).

Step 5: Serving

Transfer the rice to a large serving dish. Arrange the pieces of fish and vegetables around the rice. It is traditionally served communally from a single plate.