Ingredients & Condiments
Yete
Senegal's national dish is incomplete without these fermented sea snails.
Senegal’s national dish, thieboudienne, has a crucial, pungent ingredient: the fermented flesh of sea snails. Known as yete (alternately spelled yet or yeet), these large marine mollusks are buried in the sand for several days, then sun-dried. Only then are they ready to impart a “signature saline funk” to Senegal’s signature fiery fish-and-rice dish.
Some diners say the yete has a leathery texture, a smoky aroma, and a briny flavor that also tastes a bit musky. Though there is no true substitute for snail flesh, in its absence, cooks opt for Southeast Asian fish sauce to impart a comparable brininess. But many claim that yete is less intense than the other aquatic flavoring added to thieboudienne. Guedge, a dried, fermented fish also integral to preparing the traditional dish, is rank enough make yete seem relatively mild.
Where to Try It
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Le Djembé
56 Rue St Michel, Dakar , SenegalThis restaurant is known for its thieboudienne. It's open noon to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
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Marché Kermel
Rue de Essarts, Dakar, SenegalThis gorgeous, open-air building features many vendors selling fresh and homemade foods inside.
Written By
![rachelrummel](https://img.atlasobscura.com/FzsQ4aGFcVZkj0ig0Qj8XYpvBG2rVO_YPRySDW6DrHs/rs:fill:41:41:1/g:ce/q:81/sm:1/scp:1/ar:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9hdGxh/cy1kZXYuczMuYW1h/em9uYXdzLmNvbS8y/MDIyLzAxLzEzLzE4/LzE3LzAzL2RmZTcx/NTY3LTE3ODctNDI3/OS05YzZjLTcwYmNk/NTIyMTljMC9JTUdf/NDYxMS5qcGc.jpg)