Thiébou Yapp — Senegalese Lamb and Rice

About This Recipe

Thiébou yapp (literally 'rice with meat' in Wolof) is the meat counterpart to Senegal's most famous dish, thiéboudienne (fish rice). It follows the same principles: a rich tomato and onion base is built by slow-caramelising ceep bu jën (tomato paste and fermented oyster or mussel), the lamb is browned and slow-cooked until tender, and then the rice is cooked directly in the fragrant broth so it absorbs every bit of flavour. Root vegetables — cassava, carrots, turnip, cabbage — are added to cook alongside the lamb, creating a complete one-pot meal of extraordinary depth. Thiébou yapp is cooked on special occasions and Fridays — the Muslim holy day — and the communal eating from a large shared platter is central to Senegalese social life.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 kgbone-in lamb shoulder(cut into large pieces)
• 500 glong-grain parboiled rice
• 4 tablespoonstomato paste
• 3 largetomatoes(blended)
• 2 largeonions(sliced)
• 4 clovesgarlic
• 1 bunchflat parsley
• 100 mlvegetable oil
• 2 mediumcarrots(halved)
• 200 gcabbage(cut into wedges)
• 1 mediumturnip(quartered)
• 2stock cubes
• 1 teaspoonsalt
• 1 litrewater

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the lamb

   Heat oil in a large pot over high heat. Brown lamb pieces all over, about 5 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside.

2. 2

   Build the tomato base

   In the same pot, fry onions for 8 minutes until golden. Add garlic, parsley, tomato paste and blended tomatoes. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring often, until the oil surfaces and the raw tomato smell has gone.

3. 3

   Braise lamb and vegetables

   Return lamb to pot. Add stock cubes, salt and water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 45 minutes. Add carrots, turnip and cabbage. Cook for 20 more minutes. Remove all solids and set aside.

4. 4

   Cook the rice

   Measure the remaining broth — you need about 750ml for 500g rice. Adjust water. Rinse rice and add to the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes until rice is cooked and broth is absorbed. Serve rice on a platter topped with the lamb and vegetables.

Variations

• •

  Thiéboudienne uses fish instead of lamb and is the more famous version.

• •

  Chicken can substitute for lamb — reduce braising time to 30 minutes.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat rice with a splash of water.

Frequently Asked Questions