Entree: Mauritania – National Cuisine – Ceebu Jën (Rice with fish)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 30 min

Cook 45 min

Additional 10 min

Total 1 hr 30 min

Ingredients

- 2 whole medium red snapper, cleaned and scaled, approx. 1.5 lb (700 g) each
- 2 cups (400 g) long-grain broken rice or jasmine rice
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) peanut or vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely sliced (about 8 oz / 225 g)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste
- 2 large tomatoes, chopped (about 10 oz / 300 g)
- 2 medium carrots, cut into large chunks (about 8 oz / 225 g)
- 1 medium cassava (yucca), peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 10 oz / 285 g)
- 2 small eggplants, halved or quartered (about 10 oz / 285 g)
- 1 small head cabbage, quartered (or 4–6 cabbage leaves), optional
- 1–2 fresh hot peppers (scotch bonnet or bird’s eye), whole or sliced to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried thyme (or a small sprig of fresh thyme)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lime juice (from 1 lime)
- 4 cups (1.0 L) fish stock or water
- 1 tbsp (15 g) sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp (5 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bouillon cube (optional, West African/vegetable or fish)
- 1 tsp (5 g) smoked paprika or 1/2 tsp (2 g) ground chili (optional, for deeper color)

Instructions

1. Rinse fish, pat dry, and make 3 shallow diagonal slashes on each side. Rub with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, half the minced garlic and lime juice; set to marinate 15–30 minutes.
2. Rinse rice in cold water until water runs clear; drain and set aside.
3. In a large heavy pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add sliced onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add remaining garlic and cook 1 minute.
4. Stir in tomato paste and chopped tomatoes, cook until tomatoes break down and the oil begins to separate, 6–8 minutes. Add smoked paprika or ground chili if using.
5. Add fish stock (or water), bay leaf, thyme, bouillon cube (if using), and remaining salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
6. Add the firmer vegetables first: cassava and carrots. Simmer 10 minutes, then add eggplant and cabbage quarters and whole or sliced hot pepper. Nestle the marinated fish into the simmering sauce, cover, and cook gently until fish is just cooked through, 10–12 minutes depending on size. Remove fish and set aside on a plate; keep warm.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning of the broth. Using a slotted spoon, remove vegetables and set aside with the fish. Strain the broth through a sieve into the pot to remove large solids (optional) and measure out enough broth to cook the rice — you will need about 3 1/2 cups (850 ml) broth for 2 cups rice; add water if short.
8. Return measured broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, add the rice, reduce heat to low, cover tightly and cook until rice is tender and liquid absorbed, about 15–20 minutes. Turn off heat and let rice rest, covered, 10 minutes.
9. While rice rests, reheat the fish and vegetables briefly in the reserved sauce. Fold chopped parsley or cilantro into the rice.
10. To serve, mound rice on a large platter, arrange fish and vegetables on top and spoon extra sauce around. Serve hot with lime wedges and extra hot pepper on the side.