Dibi, also known as Afra in other parts of Africa like Guinea and The Gambia, is a popular Senegalese dish primarily sold by street vendors. This delectable treat, with its roots in Senegalese food culture, has expanded across Africa and beyond. The major component of this delicacy is lamb, but other types of meat can be used.
What makes the dish is the sauce, caramelized onions with mustard makes for a delicious combination of flavors. It is often served up on a brown paper bag to catch the drippings. Additionally served with a french baguette one could make an fantastic sandwich. Served with some dipping mustard you have an outstanding treat and the dish we used to begin our West African meal.
The popularity of this street delicacy has spread across Africa to other parts of the world. Vendors with their grills, searing delicious meats, are a common sight.
Dibi actually means barbecue in the Wolof language of Senegal, Mauritania, and The Gambia. Various places that serve this delicious dish are known as “dibiteries.”
The meat is seasoned, grilled, and cut into small pieces and served with a special sauce, caramelized onions, and mustard, which makes it a delicious combination of tasty flavors. Dibi is usually served in a brown paper bag to catch the drippings. To make a sandwich from it, you can serve with a French baguette.
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Today we’re taking a trip over to Senegal with this delicious Dibi Lamb Recipe! This easy Dibi Lamb is made with tender marinated grilled lamb served with caramelized onions and a tangy mustard sauce. What more could you ask for?!?
How To Make DIBI LAMB at Home - The Easy Way
A Culinary Heritage Celebrated in Milan
Situated in the vibrant heart of Porta Venezia, Milan, Kori D’Oro is a Black-owned, woman-led restaurant that set out to celebrate African culinary heritage in a bold, contemporary way. Kori D’Oro may be young, but its impact is already undeniable. We created a space for African cuisine to breathe, to evolve, and to be presented on its own terms in Milan. Dibi was our opening statement.
At the centre of it all was ‘Dibi’, a dish that felt both familiar and entirely new. From the beginning, we built a menu rooted in traditional African recipes, reimagined with finesse. Influences ranged from Nigerian grill joints to Kenyan street barbecues to Senegalese food culture.
For our version of Dibi, we chose lamb chops; tender, juicy, and already beloved in Italian cuisine. I kept the marinade honest and simple: salt, black pepper, and Adja bouillon seasoning powder. Letting the chops sit overnight allows the flavours to deepen and intensify.
When a Dibi order comes in, nine lamb chops go straight onto the blistering hot stone grill. The sizzle is immediate. We splash them with our signature grilling oil, which creates that smoky, braised flavour we love. The next layer of flavour comes from marinated golden onions, which we season with salt, pepper, and a touch of the same grilling oil.
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Just before service, we move the lamb chops onto a sizzling cast-iron griddle, placed over a heated wooden plank with candles underneath to preserve the sizzle. It arrives at the table still crackling, releasing a fragrant cloud of spice and smoke.
Since our early days, Dibi has remained one of our standout dishes. It’s not just the seasoning or the technique, it’s the experience. It sparks conversation around the table, invites sharing, and creates a connection.
Dibi Lamb Recipe
Here’s a more detailed step-by-step version of the Dibi Lamb Chops recipe, refined for restaurant or advanced home use with clear explanations at every stage.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb lamb cut into bite size pieces
- 1 tablespoon oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 chopped onion
- ¼ cup oil
- Mustard
- 3 tablespoons water
Instructions:
- Wash and chop the meat (lamb or any other meat) in pieces.
- Mix one tablespoon of oil and season with salt and pepper in a small container; use the mixture to brush the meat chops lightly on both sides.
- Combine the chopped onion, the ¼ cup oil, and the mustard in a small, heavy saucepan and bring to boil; occasionally stirring to distribute the heat evenly and avoid getting the meat burnt; keep the heat low and simmer gently for about 10 minutes until the onion is soft and lightly browned.
- Thin the mixture to sauce consistency with three tablespoons of water, add more if needed.
- Turn off the heat and taste, add more pepper and salt if you want.
- Oil the grill grate with olive oil.
- Arrange the marinated meat on the hot grate and grill.
- Turn the meat pieces with tongs, until it is cooked.
Detailed Step-by-Step Instructions:
Season the Lamb
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Combine dry spices in a bowl and rub lamb chops with the seasoning mix. Layer seasoned lamb in a deep tray, covering with cling film or parchment between layers. Refrigerate and marinate for 12 to 72 hours.
Prepare Grilling Oil
Whisk together in a bowl or shake in a squeeze bottle. Keep at room temperature and shake well before each use.
Marinate the Onions
Toss onion slices in a bowl with the oil, salt, and pepper. Let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
Grill the Lamb
- Preheat a charcoal grill or cast iron griddle to high heat (200-250°C / 390-480°F).
- Lightly oil the grill/griddle surface.
- Grill lamb chops in batches (about 9-10 per batch), ensuring good contact with heat and space between pieces.
- Baste the lamb with grilling oil after placing on the grill, and again after flipping.
- Grill for 5-6 minutes per side, or until a good sear develops.
Transfer to Wax-Free Paper & Add Onions
- Once chops are nicely grilled, transfer them to a sheet of wax-free parchment paper (heat-resistant and food-safe).
- Place the parchment paper directly back onto the grill or griddle surface.
- Arrange a generous layer of marinated onions over the lamb on the paper.
- Allow the onions to cook down and soften from the heat, absorbing flavour from the meat and oil.
Afro Salsa Verde & Spicy Scallion Sauce
Afro Salsa Verde: A vibrant green blend of leeks, green paprika, Dijon mustard and olive oil. Blend all ingredients until smooth but slightly textured. Store in a sealed jar for up to 10 days.
Spicy Scallion Sauce: Roughly chop all herbs and vegetables. Add all ingredients to a blender and process until you achieve a vibrant, spoonable consistency. Store in airtight jars in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Slow Roasted Dibi-Style Leg of Lamb
In Senegal and other parts of Africa, small eateries called dibiteries serve slow roasted dibi lamb and goat meat as a street food. The meat is wrapped in kraft paper and placed in the back of wood-burning clay ovens or on coals in a hole, covered, and slowly cooked until tender and succulent. You can replicate the process in a oven on low heat and use a brown paper bag if needed.
This recipe is used with permission from Chef Pierre Thiam. Chef Pierre Thiam Looking to buy lamb or goat online? Shepherd Song Farm: Grass to table. We raise lambs & goats traditionally, humanely and sustainably. 100% Grass Fed, Pasture Raised, Never Confined, no Hormones, Grains or Animal Byproducts. Good for you and good for the environment.
Dibi-Style cooked leg of lamb is slow roasted, wrapped in parchment.
Ingredients:
- Leg of Lamb
- 3 sprigs thyme leaves chopped
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 large yellow onions thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup water
- Baguettes for serving
- Tamarind Kani Sauce for serving
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 275 °F
- Combine thyme, mustard, cumin, salt, pepper and oil. Rub over the leg of lamb.
- Line a baking sheet with a piece of kraft paper large enough to enclose the lamb and onions. Spread the onions in a layer in the center of the paper and lay the lamb on top. Carefully pour the water around the leg.
- Fold the paper tightly around the lamb and onions, enclosing them like a package. Make sure the paper is completely sealed. A clean paper grocery bag tied closed is another option.
- Place the lamb on the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 8 hours. The lamb is done when the meat pulls away and is tender.
- Serve the meat from the paper cut into bite sized pieces alongside the caramelized onions or on a platter with baguette chunks, extra mustard and kani sauce on the side.
Tamarind Kani Mustard Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp peanut oil
- 1 large yellow onion coarsely chopped
- 1 large garlic clove chopped
- 6 plum tomatoes coarsely chopped
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper coarsely chopped
- 1 bay leaf, dried
- 2 tbsp tamarind pasta
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
Tamarind Kani Mustard Sauce Instructions:
- In a saucepan, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Cook the onion and garlic, stirring frequently, until soft and fragrant. Add the tomatoes, Scotch bonnet, and bay leaf.
- Simmer for 15 minutes, or until thick like a chutney, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon and adding a little water if necessary.
- Add the tamarind, sugar and fish sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaf and puree in a food processor or blender until smooth.
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
- Makes about 1 cup.
Meat is often cooked in parchment or paper in other parts of the world. Venison or goat meat can be substituted for the lamb.
Here are some side dishes to try with your Dibi Lamb: Fried Plantains, Sauteed Greens, Fresh Sliced Bread
