Morning Thieboudienne Bowl with Fish and Rice

Sunlight falls through sheer curtains, casting soft, shifting patches of pale gold across a ceramic plate holding a serving of thieboudienne. The dish features a whole cooked fish resting atop a mound of tomato-infused rice, the grains distinct and slightly separated. Beside the main portion, a small ceramic bowl holds a side of vegetables. The plate sits on a wooden table near a window in Klaipėda, where early summer light mixes with the lingering glow of a lamp in the corner. The fish skin glistens with a light sheen of oil, and the tomato sauce rests on the rice grains. One shadow falls across the rim of the plate, marking the edge of the light.