The dish is made in one big pot. First, fish (usually a type called thiof) is stuffed with parsley, garlic and chilli and gently fried. Then it is cooked in a tomato sauce with vegetables - carrots, cabbage, cassava, aubergines, sweet potato and okra. Finally, the rice is added and cooks in the same pot, soaking up all the flavour.
The very best bit, according to many Senegalese children, is called the 'xoon' (say 'horn') - the crispy layer of rice at the bottom of the pot. The cook usually scrapes it up at the end and puts it on top as a treat. Crispy rice scraped off the bottom of the pot - what's not to love?
Thiéboudienne is shared from one big round platter. Everyone sits around it, washing their hands first, and eats the section of rice and vegetables in front of them. There are unwritten rules: don't reach across, don't grab the best fish piece, and always leave some for anyone who arrives late.
UNESCO added Senegalese thiéboudienne to its list of important world cultural traditions in 2021 - the same kind of list that includes tango, opera and yoga. The whole world has agreed: this dish is something special.