Mauritanian cuisine facts for kids
The cuisine of Mauritania is all about the delicious food and cooking styles found in Mauritania. This country's food has been shaped by different groups of people over time. Arab and African travelers, often moving in caravans across the Sahara desert, brought their own food traditions.
Because of this, Mauritanian food shares similarities with Moroccan cuisine in the north and Senegalese cuisine in the south. France also influenced the food, as Mauritania was a French colony until 1960. One popular drink is mint tea, which is often poured from high up to make it foamy. In Mauritania, people usually eat meals together, sharing from a common dish.
Popular Dishes
Mauritanian food often features ingredients like rice, meat (especially lamb, goat, and sometimes camel), fish, and vegetables. Here are some traditional dishes you might find:
- Thieboudienne (Cheb-u-jin): This is considered the national dish of Mauritania. It's a tasty coastal dish made with fish and rice, served in a red and white sauce, usually with tomatoes.
- Méchoui: This is a whole roasted lamb, often prepared for special occasions.
- Couscous: A very common dish made from steamed semolina grains, often served with meat and vegetables.
- Mahfe: This is a stew made with goat or camel meat. It has a rich sauce of peanuts, okra, and tomatoes. It's usually served over rice. You can also find vegetarian versions without meat.
- Yassa Poulet: This dish features roasted chicken with vegetables. It's served over french fries or rice. It originally comes from the Wolof and Pulaar tribes in Senegal.
- Goat Stuffed with Rice: A hearty meal where a whole goat is filled with seasoned rice and cooked.
- Camel Meat: While not as common, camel meat from dromedaries is sometimes eaten, especially in desert areas.
- Tawarikh: This refers to dates, which are a popular snack and ingredient.
- Hakko: A sauce made from leafy green vegetables, often served with beans over couscous.
- Lakh: A sweet dish made with cheese curds or yogurt mixed with grated coconut. It's served over a sweet millet porridge.
- Maru we-llham: A dish that combines meat, rice, and vegetables.
- Leksour: These are Mauritanian pancakes, often served with a savory meat and vegetable sauce.
Drinks
After a meal, or just to relax, Mauritanians enjoy several traditional drinks:
- Mint Tea: This is a very important part of Mauritanian culture. It's a strong, sweet green tea with fresh mint leaves. It's often poured from a height to create a frothy top.
- Zrig: A refreshing drink made by mixing milk or water with fermented milk.
- Baobab Fruit Drink (Jus de Bouye): A sweet and tangy drink made from the fruit of the baobab tree.
- Roselle Drink (Bissap): A vibrant red drink made from the roselle plant, which has a tart and refreshing taste.
See also
In Spanish: Gastronomía de Mauritania para niños
