In general, soups are nutritious and refreshing at the same time, while still leaving enough room for the main course. This is important in an African country where the heat levels are always high and light meals are recommended. Soups are also a number one choice for lunch or dinner because they compensate for the water lost throughout the day – an inevitable thing under the scorching sun of Senegal. Vegetable soups are common, but meat soups are equally popular. Rustic soup making methods may include boiling the ingredients in a clay recipient over an open fire or a coal fire.