“Mama Nelly” in Marseille: the African cuisine of our mothers

This week, France Bleu Provence invites you on a unique culinary journey, with the chance to win a meal for four people at Mama Nelly in Marseille. A restaurant specializing in African cuisine. Among the emblematic dishes offered, today we are highlighting the yassa chicken with Nathalie Helal, a delicious specialty from Senegal that thrills the taste buds of young and old.

Chicken Yassa: tradition and flavors of Senegal

The yassa chicken is one of the flagship dishes of West African cuisine, particularly in Senegal, Mali and Casamance. This dish is distinguished by its marinade made from lemon juice, onions and mustard, seasoned with a touch of chili pepper. After a long and fragrant marinade, the chicken is fried then simmered in a rich and creamy sauce.

The secrets of the recipe:

• The marinade is essential. The chicken must marinate for several hours, or even overnight, for tender and flavorful meat.
• The onions play a key role: cooked slowly, they become soft and caramelized, bringing sweetness and balance to the acidity of the lemon.
• Rice is the essential accompaniment, ideally Senegalese rice or Asian broken rice, which perfectly absorbs the generous yassa sauce.

Accompaniments: rice and African flavors

The riz is omnipresent in Senegalese cuisine, often preferred to bread. It can be garnished with vegetables, steamed cassava, or even fried plantains, known ascrazy.

Sometimes the rice is flavored with curry or tomato to offer a palette of colors and flavors. This marriage between rice and yassa sauce is a real treat.

Win a meal at Mama Nelly in Marseille

All this week, try your luck to win a meal for 4 people chez Mama Nelly located near the Halles de la Major in Marseille. It is the ideal place to discover the treasures of African cuisine.

Do you have an African or North Mediterranean recipe to share? Call us at 04 42 38 08 08 and enter the draw to win this unique meal at Mama Nelly.