Thiebou diola, also called “C’est bon”, is a Senegalese dish from Casamance. It combines rice flavored with dried seafood such as toufa and yokhos, grilled fish, onion sauce, green bissap beugueuthie, okra, prawns and sometimes palm oil.
Thiebou diola, also called “C’est bon”, is a Senegalese dish from Casamance, in the south of Senegal. Less known than thiéboudiène, it honors Diola cuisine with rice flavored with dried seafood, grilled fish, onion sauce, green bissap beugueuthie, okra, prawns and sometimes a drizzle of palm oil.
This generous dish tells the story of another side of Senegalese cuisine: that of Casamance, a fertile, green region open to the Atlantic, where rice, fish, seafood, leaves and fermented condiments occupy an important place.
In this version, the rice is enriched with toufa, yokhos and small shrimps, then served with marinated and grilled sea bream, a lemon sauce with onions and peppers, a crunchy vegetable marinade and beugueuthie, a preparation based on green bissap and okra. A complete, fragrant dish deeply rooted in the culinary traditions of Casamance.
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The Thiebou Diola (c’est bon)
The Tiebou Diola is specific to the Diola community of Casamance, which is one of the Senegalese ethnic groups. This dish typically emphasizes the use of fresh or dried fish, as well as a variety of local ingredients.
Thiebou diola consists of a rice base flavored with toufa or yokhos. These are molluscs, oysters and seafood dried on the sea, lightly fermented. These are products that were once called “garum“, there are only a few examples of these products left, today in the form of sauces such as Vietnamese Nuoc-mâm sauce or British Worcestershire sauce.
The ingredients of tiebou diola vary depending on the seasons and availability, but they usually include fish, vegetables (such as eggplant, cabbage, cassava), palm oil, chili pepper, aromatic herbs, and spices.
In addition to rice, thiebou diola is filled with marinated and braised fish, an onion marinade, a green bissap sauce and a second spicy sauce. In short, the best of Casamance cuisine and the Diola ethnic group, which knows how to highlight the raw products of this particularly fertile region.
What is thiebou diola?
Thiebou diola is a Senegalese rice dish associated with the Diola community of Casamance. It is often nicknamed “C’est bon”, a popular name that reflects his success beyond his home region.
Unlike thiéboudiene, which is better known and usually prepared with tomato sauce, thiebou diola focuses more on grilled fish, dried seafood, leaves, pickled onions, green bissap and sometimes palm oil.
Why is this dish called “C’est bon”?
Thiebou diola is often referred to as “C’est bon” in Senegal, a simple and popular nickname that conveys the pleasure associated with this dish. There are several versions today: some very simple, others richer with grilled fish, seafood, onion sauce, beugueuthie and palm oil.
Tufa, yokhos and dried seafood
The particularity of this recipe comes from the toufa and yokhos, dried and lightly fermented seafood. They flavour the rice and give it a very characteristic marine depth.
These ingredients can be difficult to find outside of Senegal. Failing that, you can use small dried shrimp, smoked fish or a little dried shrimp powder to recall this iodized flavor.
What is beugueuthie?
Beugueuthie is a preparation made from green bissap, i.e. Guinea sorrel leaves, often combined with okra. It brings a vegetal, slightly acidic texture that is very typical of certain West African cuisines.
In thiebou diola, it accompanies rice and fish, alongside onion sauce, prawns and chili.
Thiebou diola and thiéboudiene: what is the difference?
Thiéboudiène, or ceebu jën, is the famous Senegalese fish rice listed by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage. It is associated with St. Louis and is usually prepared with rice, fish, tomato, and vegetables.
Thiebou diola, on the other hand, refers more to Casamance and Diola cuisine. It is distinguished by the use of dried seafood, grilled fish, green bissap, okra, pickled onions and sometimes palm oil.
Garum
Garum was a liquid fish sauce that was highly prized in ancient times, mainly in the Mediterranean regions. The origins of garum can be traced back to ancient Egypt, where a fermented fish sauce called “garos” was produced. This sauce was prepared by salting fish and then letting them ferment in the sun. The Egyptians used garos as a condiment in their cooking.
The Greeks then adopted garum, adapting it to their own cuisine and renaming it “garos” or “liquamen.” Greek garum was usually made from fish, oysters, and other seafood, as well as herbs and spices. just like the Egyptians, the ancient Greeks used garum as a seasoning for many dishes.
Garum then conquered Rome where it became very popular in the Roman Empire. However, it was still considered a luxury ingredient. There were many variations of garum, ranging from simple and cheap versions to more refined types. Some types of garum were made from specific fish, while others were prepared with shellfish and crustaceans. The Romans used it to season a wide variety of dishes, including vegetables, meat, and seafood dishes.
With the decline of the Roman Empire, the production of garum declined. Over time, this sauce gradually disappeared from European cuisine. There are still some vestiges of it in the cuisine of the south of France, where a few marinated anchovies and dried fish specialties remain.
Although garum has disappeared in most of the Western world, it has survived in some regions, most notably in Asia, where similar fermented fish sauces are still used in traditional cuisine.
Today, modern variations of garum, such as fish sauce or nuoc mam in Vietnam, fish sauce in Thailand, and other similar condiments in Asia, continue the legacy of this ancient fish sauce. Garum itself, as it was known in Roman antiquity, is a relic of culinary history that continues to arouse the interest of food historians and lovers of ancient cuisine.
Thiebou diola – The Senegalese “c’est bon” from Casamance
Ingredients
Ingredients – for the fish
- 1 sea bream
- The juice of a lemon
- 1 grated garlic clove
- 1 chopped green chilli
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon mustard
- 1 drizzle of peanut oil for cooking
Ingredients – for the rice
- 500 g cooked white rice
- 50 g of toufa Dried seafood
- 50 g of Yokhos dried oysters
- 50 g small dried or fresh shrimp
- Salt
Ingredients – for the onion sauce
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 small green bell pepper, diced
- 1 fresh chilli, diced
- 1 teaspoon chopped parsley
- The juice of a lime
- 1 grated garlic clove
- Salt
- Pepper
- Peanut oil
Ingredients – for the onion and pepper marinade
- 1 green pepper cut into brunoise
- 1 red pepper, cut into cubes
- 1 yellow pepper cut into brunoise
- 2 small onions, cut into brunoise
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- Juice of 1/2 lime
Ingredients – for the beugueuthie
- 100 g green bissap
- 3 okra
- 1 pinch salt
- To serve
- 200 g prawns
- Lime
- Palm oil optional
Preparation
- Prepare the marinade for the fish: mix the lemon juice, grated garlic, green chilli, pepper and mustard.
- Brush the sea bream with this marinade, cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Cook the fish on the coals, in a pan or in the oven with a drizzle of peanut oil, until nicely browned. Set aside.
- Prepare the rice: fry the cooked rice with the toufa, yokhos and small shrimps. Season with salt if necessary, then keep warm.
- Prepare the onion sauce: sauté the onion in a little oil. Add the green pepper, chilli, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Cook for a few minutes, then add the lime juice. Let reduce slightly and set aside.
- Prepare the onion and pepper marinade: mix the peppers, onions, salt, mustard and lime juice. Marinate for 30 minutes.
- Cook the okra in boiling salted water for 10 minutes, then drain.
- Cook the green bissap in boiling water for 5 minutes, drain, season with salt, then chop or coarsely crush with the okra to form the beugueuthie.
- Cook the prawns in a pan with a little peanut oil. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Arrange the rice in a large dish. Add the onion and pepper marinade, beugueuthie, okra, prawns and grilled fish.
- Serve with lime and, if desired, a drizzle of palm oil.
Notes
FAQ Frequently asked questions about Thébou Diola
What is thiebou diola?
Thiebou diola is a Senegalese dish from Casamance, made with rice, grilled fish, dried seafood, onion sauce, green bissap, okra, and sometimes palm oil.
Why is thiebou diola called “c’est bon”?
“c’est bon” is the popular nickname of the thiebou diola in Senegal. It refers to this generous, fragrant and much appreciated Casamance dish.
What is the difference between thiebou diola and thiéboudiene?
Thiéboudiene is the famous Senegalese fish rice, often prepared with tomato and vegetables. Thiebou diola is more associated with Casamance, with grilled fish, dried seafood, green bissap, okra, and sometimes palm oil.
What are toufa and yokhos?
Tufa and yokhos are dried seafood, used to flavor rice and bring an iodized flavor to the dish.
What is beugueuthie?
Beugueuthie is a preparation made from green bissap, often combined with okra. It accompanies rice and fish in some versions of thiebou diola.
Can you do thiebou diola without toufa or yokhos?
Yes. Alternatively, you can use dried shrimp, smoked fish, small fresh shrimp or a little dried shrimp powder.
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