Recipe: Senegalese Rice

Today, we're going retro with our recipe. During a recent 'better books' sale at our local library, I picked up 'Recipes of All Nations', which was complied and edited by Countess Morphy back in 1935. It's a charming, dated book that is mostly focused on Europe, despite its more diverse sounding title. Way in the back, near page 800 or so, they have a small section on Africa. It's very interesting and includes dishes like 'Fricassee of Iguana' (which I'm hoping isn't on menus anymore!). I chose something more tame to share with you today: Senegalese Rice. This is (nearly) verbatim from the book:

SENEGALESE RICE is as popular a dish in Senegal as the couscous. It can be made with meat, chicken or fish. The pork, mutton or chicken is cut in somewhat large pieces, and the fish also. The pieces of meat or fish are first of all fried in oil with a chopped onion, seasoned with salt and pepper and, when well browned, they are covered with hot water and seasoned with chilli pepper or cayenne, cloves, and other spices. Then all kinds of vegetables are added, and always very small marrows and tomatoes. All this is simmered till tender-the meat, of course, takes longer than the fish. When done, the meat and vegetables are removed from the stock and kept hot. The rice-unpolished rice is used-is cooked in the stock, which should not only cover it but be quite two inches above the rice. This is simmered till the rice has absorbed all the stock and is quite dry and flaky. If the rice "catches" and is slightly burnt in the bottom of the pan the [locals] are delighted, as this is considered a relish. The rice when done is put into a large gourd with the meat or fish and the vegetables.

Bon appetit!

Note: 'marrows' refers to zucchini