Akon at the table

In Senegal, the meal is not divided into starter-main-dessert: everyone gathers around a large round dish placed on the mat or table, with ceeb (rice) in the center, fish or meat and vegetables arranged on top. Each person eats from the portion in front of them, with the right hand or a spoon, while the host pushes the best pieces toward the guests. A cold drink (bissap, bouye) accompanies, and milky sweets or street beignets punctuate the day outside the main meal.

Small black, powerful balls of fermented néré seeds, nététou (or soumbala) is the umami soul of Senegalese cuisine. A pinch is enough to give thiéboudienne its smoky, savory depth. It is the West African equivalent of garum or miso: a fermented condiment that defines the taste of the country.