vegetables

Fish simmered in a rich tomato broth with cassava, cabbage, carrot, and eggplant, then served over rice cooked in that same flavorful liquid. Known in Senegal as ceebu jën (or thieboudienne), this is the country's national dish and a centerpiece of family meals and celebrations across West Africa.

Layers of spiced ground meat, golden fried eggplant and tomato, and creamy rice folded into béchamel, all topped with melted cheese and baked until bubbling. Known in Egypt as roz bel béchamel ("rice with béchamel"), this is a comforting family bake in the same spirit as Egypt's better-known macarona bil-bechamel, with rice standing in for the pasta.

A whole fish marinated in a bright, spiced chermoula, then layered into a tagine with potato, tomato, and onion, topped with lemon and chile, and simmered until everything comes together into one dish. Classic Moroccan fish tagine, traditionally made with sea bream or another firm white fish, built almost entirely from pantry spices and whatever vegetables are at hand.

Maafe is one of West Africa's great comfort dishes — chicken braised until tender, then finished in a rich, deeply savory sauce built on tomato, peanut butter, and warm spices. This version adds sweet potato, eggplant, and a handful of shrimp, a nod to the coastal cooking traditions found alongside the dish's more common inland versions. Serve it the traditional way, over rice with a fiery pili-pili sauce on the side.