The cuisine of Mauritania includes the culinary practices of Mauritania. Historically, what is now Mauritania has been influenced by Arab, Berbers and African peoples who have lived in and traversed the "stark" landscape marked with Sahara desert dunes in caravans. There is an overlap with Moroccan cuisine in the north and Senegalese cuisine in the south. French colonial influence (Mauritania was a colony until 1960) has also played a role in influencing the cuisine of the relatively isolated land. Alcohol is prohibited in the Muslim faith and its sale is largely limited to hotels. Mint tea is widely consumed and poured from height to create foam. Traditionally, meals are eaten communally. Dishes Traditional Mauritanian dishes include: Tawarikh (Dates) Thieboudienne (Cheb-u-jin), a coastal dish of fish and rice, is considered the national dish of Mauritania, served in a white and red sauce, usually made from tomatoes Méchoui, whole roasted lamb Samak Mutabal (Spiced fish) 'araz Bialkhadrawat (Rice with vegetables) Fish balls Dried fish Dried meat Couscous Goat stuffed with rice Camel (unusual) (made from Dromedaries) Caravane cheese Yassa poulet, chicken rotisserie with vegetables served over french fries or rice, originally a Senegalese dish from the Wolof and Pulaar tribes Mahfe, goat or camel meat in a peanut, okra and tomato sauce, served over rice and can also be made without meat (for vegetarians) Yassa fish Hakko, a sauce made from leafy vegetables served with beans over couscous Lakh, cheese curds or yoghurt with grated coconut served over sweet millet porridge Marolaym, one-pot dish of lamb or goat meat with rice in an onion base Bulgur wheat with dried fruit Maru we-llham, meat with rice and vegetables Mauritanian terrine Camel Chubbagin, a stew Cherchem, Mauritanian lamb couscous Chubbagin Lélé et Raabie, fish stew Fish pastry Mauritanian vermicelli Harira, Mauritanian soup dish Mauritanian pepper steak with coconut Banaf, meat and vegetable stew Leksour, Mauritanian pancakes with meat and vegetable sauce Bonava, a lamb stew Al-Aïch, chicken, beans and couscous Beverages Mint tea Zrig, milk or water mixed with fermented milk Baobab fruit drink (Jus de Bouye) Roselle drink (Bissap) sadza (cassava) See also Arab cuisine List of African cuisines Moroccan cuisine Senegalese cuisine References External links Mauritanian cuisine Traveling East West African cuisine Maghrebi cuisine Arab cuisine