I had to triple-check that I had not added extra zeros to the CFA currency conversion when I realized this plate of Jollof rice and fish was going to cost me a whopping Shs 220,000 equivalent.
Yes, Dakar is famously expensive, where even a simple bottle of drinking water can cost Shs 24,000, but this was no extravagant feast; just a modest single-plate meal.
How could it be so costly? Well, it dawned on me that while diners in Uganda may balk at paying Shs 30,000 for a meal, thanks to our relative food abundance, other African countries don’t always have that luxury. In Senegal, the influence of France lingers heavily, even in the food industry.
This is one of those moments where I wished we, as Ugandans, could be intentional with our agriculture and export policies. Thieboudienne, also known as rizau poisson or thiebou dieune, is a dish featuring bloated jasmine rice, whole fried habanero peppers, dense cabbage heads, garlic, carrots, a slice of orange, and a dash of boiled dates.
Was it tasty? Absolutely! The fish reminded me of our Lake Victoria Nile perch, although this had more taste to it. This meal was packed with serious spiciness.
Those habanero peppers were sneakily hidden among the sauce topping and with each bite, the peppers unleashed their fiery kick, that would send even the bravest diners scrambling for water.
Despite the intense spiciness, I was determined to finish what I could of my 220k meal. With my eyes watering and three bottles of water and a soda later, I managed to devour about three-quarters of the plate.
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