Chez Fadi
Cameroonian and West African cuisine reinterpreted
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Thiacry
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Thiacry | the quintessential West African dessert

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When it comes to West African desserts, there's no getting around thiacry. This creamy, slightly tangy dish is a true classic in countries like Senegal, Mali, and Gambia, and is often served as a sweet finale to a feast or as a refreshing snack. What is thiacry? Thiacry (also known as dégué or degue) is a dessert made from cooked millet couscous blended with a creamy yogurt mixture of milk, sweetened condensed milk, and/or crème fraîche. It is often flavored with vanilla, nutmeg, or raisins and served chilled. The result: a wonderfully refreshing, slightly grainy dessert that is sweet, tangy, and pleasantly filling. Why millet? Millet is one of Africa's oldest grains and a staple food in the Sahel region. It is not only gluten-free but also rich in minerals and fiber. For Thiacry, the millet is traditionally steamed or processed into couscous, which gives it a loose, grainy texture that blends perfectly with the creamy…

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Fonio
stews

Fonio au gras | Fonio variant of Riz au Gras

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Fonio: The West African super grain you have to try! Have you ever heard of fonio? No? Then it's high time you did! This tiny grain is the new superfood that's quietly conquering the world – and rightly so. Fonio is not only nutritious but also incredibly versatile and tastes simply fantastic. What exactly is fonio? Fonio is an ancient grain from West Africa, cultivated there for thousands of years. It belongs to the millet family and is known for its tiny grains, which look a bit like sand – but thankfully don't taste like it! On the contrary: fonio has a mild, nutty flavor and a pleasantly fluffy texture, making it perfect for many dishes. But the best thing about fonio? It's not only gluten-free but also packed with nutrients. It contains iron, magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins and is a great source of plant-based protein. Plus, it's super light…

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Poulet Yassa
sauces

Poulet Yassa: A chicken dish with lots of character and even more onions

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If you've never heard of Poulet Yassa, you're definitely missing out. This West African dish from Senegal is a veritable explosion of flavor. That's remarkable, considering the ingredient list sounds so simple: chicken, onions, lemons, pepper, and optionally, mustard. Sounds easy, right? But don't be fooled; the real magic lies in the preparation. My first encounter with Poulet Yassa was a bit of a kitchen mishap. I thought I could just go with the flow—a spoonful of mustard here, a squeeze of lemon there. I ended up with more lemon than chicken. My face creased. It was as if I'd bitten into a whole lemon. But the aroma… that unmistakable, intense scent of caramelized onions and lemon juice lingering in the air wouldn't let me give up. Eventually, I stumbled upon the book Pastel et Yassa by Aissatou Mbaye. She is Aistou…

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Bissap
drinks

Jus de Bissap/Foléré Rapide | Express Bissap Juice

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The season for chilled drinks is almost here. How about a recipe for one of my all-time favorite refreshing beverages? Bissap, or Foléré as it's called in Cameroon, has become a must-have in my kitchen. I also always include Bissap juice in my cooking classes for my students, and it's always won them over. Whether straight or mixed with water, hot or cold, Bissap is simply delicious. A few months ago, a friend of mine from Senegal showed me this recipe. I was visiting her, and she offered me a glass of Bissap and asked if I was familiar with it. "Of course I know Bissap," I replied, "We call it Foléré in Cameroon." But when I tasted her Bissap, I was immediately captivated by its flavor…

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appetizer

Pili au Thon | Filled dumplings with tuna filling

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I put off making this recipe for a long time. Why? The answer is simple: I hate working with flour. Except when making beignets, of course, because that dough always turns out perfectly for me… well, almost always. That's also why I bake so rarely. Unfortunately, I only manage to bake cakes very rarely. Even when I use a cake mix, something can still go wrong. Therefore, I kept putting off this recipe from my childhood, which was originally at the very top of my "To Publish" list. But now to the dish itself. What exactly are pili? Pili, or meat pie (with a meat filling) in Cameroon, also known as Fataya in Senegal and called pastels in French, are filled pastries made from shortcrust pastry – and that's precisely MY problem: pastry, which is very common in West Africa. Pili…

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from the oven

Dibi agneau | Grilled lamb in the Senegalese style

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Ramadan Mubarak! Barka dasala! The month of Ramadan flew by again this year. To mark the end of this holy month, we have plenty of food and drink at home. During the three-day Eid al-Adha celebrations, there should be enough to eat and drink so that every guest leaves with a full stomach and feeling satisfied. For me, lamb is a must on the menu for both Ramadan and Eid al-Adha. Every year, I try a more elaborate preparation for this occasion, and sometimes even new recipes. This year, I ventured to make Dibi for the first time. I was very pleased with the result. Dibi is one of the most popular street foods in Senegal and West Africa in general. You can find it everywhere on the roadside or in Dibiteries (restaurants or food stalls where Dibi is sold). In Cameroon, the term Suya is commonly used for this…

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thiacry
Dessert

Thiacry/Dèguè - West African dessert with cherry compote

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The month of Ramadan lasts for a little over a week. In that context, I'd like to share another recipe with you – this time a dessert. It belongs to a category I didn't even know existed until a few months ago, but one that immediately captivated me. Since starting my food blog, I've been discovering wonderful new dishes every day, especially from West Africa. I'm constantly reminded of the culinary treasures that African cuisine has to offer. Today I'd like to introduce one of these treasures: Thiacry. This dessert consists mainly of millet granules or millet couscous, which is made from a mixture of millet flour and water. Ready-made millet couscous can be found in many African grocery stores. Preparing millet couscous is similar to preparing wheat couscous: it's first steamed, then cooled, and then mixed with milk, sweetened condensed milk, or yogurt. Depending on your taste, you can add dried fruits like raisins, shredded coconut, or spices. Alternatively to the traditional…

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sauces

Yassa Crevettes | Yassa with shrimps

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Yassa is an onion, mustard, and lemon sauce from Senegalese and Gambian cuisine. Traditionally, yassa is prepared with chicken as Poulet Yassa, served with rice. A good yassa requires few ingredients. Besides onions, mustard, and the juice of a lemon or lime, I like to add a few whole fresh Scotch bonnet peppers for a touch of spice and a teaspoon of my delicious Magic Sauce for a special note. I also add a spring onion for a fresh look, and that's it—my yassa is ready. I remember my first yassa very well; I was visiting a friend. At one point, we were about to cook, and she said to me, "We're having Poulet Yassa today," and I asked what it was. Surprised that I'd never heard of it, she told me it was a specialty from Gambia. Her husband is from…

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thieboudienne
stews

Thiéboudienne – a rice specialty with fish from Senegal

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Thiéboudienne is a specialty from Senegal. One could say it's Senegal's national dish. In Wolof, Thiéboudienne means "rice with fish." The dish is usually called Thieb for short. There are two different types of Thieb: Thiéboudienne and Thiéboudienne.<Reis mit Fisch> and the Thiébouyappe (rice with meat). The only difference between the two variations is that in Thiébouyappe, the fish is replaced by meat. Besides fish and rice, a lot of vegetables are used in the preparation. You can freely choose your vegetables or follow the classic list. I opted for a different combination of vegetables, but the result was still fantastic. So, have fun cooking it and let your creativity flow! Ingredients: 300g rice (Basmati), 2 tilapia, 1 head of cauliflower, 1 eggplant, 1 yellow and green bell pepper, 3 carrots, 1 onion, 1 cassava tuber, 3 tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 100ml cooking oil, approx. 500ml water, pepper, salt, 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 tbsp paprika powder, parsley, lovage, Herbes de Provence, bay leaves, Magic Sauce. The whole thing…

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yassa
sauces

Chicken Yassa chez Fadi style

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Poulet Yassa is a specialty from Senegal and Gambia. It's a spicy, hot sauce whose main ingredients, besides chicken, are onions, mustard, and lemon juice. As usual, I enjoy experimenting in the kitchen and have tried a few Yassa recipes, ultimately choosing the version without lemon juice. I'm sharing this one with you today. Enjoy!

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