Senegalese Thieboudienne

Instructions

1. Prepare the fish
   Clean the fish and cut into large pieces. Make small slits in each piece. Mix 1 tsp salt with 1 tbsp of the minced garlic and rub this mixture into the fish pieces. Set aside to marinate for 20 minutes while preparing other ingredients.
2. Make the base sauce
   Heat vegetable oil in a large, deep pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until it darkens slightly, about 3-4 minutes. Add remaining garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
3. Create the broth
   Pour 8 cups of water into the pot. Add bay leaves, dried fish powder (if using), Senegalese spice mix, and whole Scotch bonnet pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Carefully add the marinated fish pieces and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes until just cooked through.
4. Cook the vegetables
   Remove the fish carefully with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the carrots, cabbage, sweet potatoes, and eggplant to the broth. Simmer until the vegetables are tender but not mushy, about 15-20 minutes. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and set aside with the fish.
5. Cook the rice
   Taste the broth and adjust seasoning if needed. Add the rinsed rice to the broth, ensuring there's enough liquid to cook the rice (add more water if necessary). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the rice is cooked and has absorbed most of the liquid, about 25-30 minutes.
6. Add color (optional)
   For the traditional red color, you can add 1-2 additional tablespoons of tomato paste dissolved in a little water to the rice while it's cooking. Stir gently to incorporate the color throughout the rice.
7. Assemble the dish
   Once the rice is cooked, fluff it with a fork. Remove the Scotch bonnet pepper and bay leaves. Transfer the rice to a large serving platter. Arrange the fish pieces and vegetables attractively on top of the rice.
8. Serve
   Serve hot, family-style. In Senegal, this dish is traditionally eaten communally from a large platter, with guests eating from the section of the platter directly in front of them, using their right hand or a spoon.