The name echoes Lebanese fatayer, a sign of the Lebanese community that has lived in Dakar since the late 19th century.
Fataya are small deep-fried pastries filled with a peppery mixture of fish or minced meat, onions, and herbs, folded into a half-moon or triangular pocket before frying. Street vendors sell them by the piece, often with a tangy chili-spiked dipping sauce.
Why it's made this way: The dish reflects Senegal's long culinary exchange with North African and Lebanese traders, who introduced fried stuffed-pastry techniques that locals adapted using Senegal's abundant fish.
Roughly what's in it
280kcal
10gprotein
28gcarbs
15gfat
Estimated per typical street-vendor portion — not lab-tested.