A popular traditional Senegalese dish, the Ceebu Jën comes from the fishing communities on the island of Saint-Louis in Senegal. Typically, the dish consists of fish steak, dried fish, molluscs, broken rice, and seasonal vegetables such as onions, parsley, and peppers.
A glue of national unity, the origin of this dish is attributed to Penda Mbaye, a 19th-century cook from the city of Saint-Louis.
It is important to determine the number of people who will be eating before going to the market to get ingredients. In addition to the fish, the vegetables include a garlicky paste (called the rof), chilli pepper, tomatoes, carrots, eggplant, white cabbage, cassava, sweet potato, okra, and bay leaf. Tradition dictates that the quality and type of fish served, as well as the vegetables served, are determined based on the importance of an event or the degree of affection the guests have for them.
Mothers are entrusted with recipes and techniques to pass down from generation to generation. In rural areas of the West African nation, Ceebu Jën is eaten with the hands, but spoons and forks are used in urban areas. It is believed that this particular dish tastes better when eaten with your hands rather than with a fork and knife.
Despite the local superstition – only available in rural areas (particularly where Wolof is spoken), restaurants offer customers a set of cutlery when they order this dish. It might be a good idea to try both methods and see which works best for you!
Nonetheless, it is very interesting to note that the Ceebu Jën is not just found in Senegal. In fact, it is a sub-continental dish found in Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Benin. Each country has its own variation in the cooking process and color. As a matter of fact, one of the hottest topics of discussion on social media is who makes the best Jollof (Ceebu Jën).
Ceebu Jën symbolizes terranga (hospitality) in Senegal, since the whole family gathers around a single dish (called a bolus) from which they eat with spoons (coudou pulaars) or bread.
In addition to its culinary significance, the Ceebu Jën dish is also associated with specific cultural practices. For instance, it is wrong to sit with a raised knee, the bowl must be held with your left hand, and grains of rice should not be dropped when eating. The Ceebu Jën dish and other similar practices are core pillars of the Senegalese culture.