Best 7 Mafe Recipes

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In the heart of West African cuisine, where rich flavors dance on the palate, lies the delectable dish known as mafe. This savory stew, with its roots in Mali and Senegal, has captivated taste buds across the globe. An intricate tapestry of textures and spices, mafe marries the earthy notes of peanut butter with the aromatic symphony of tomatoes, onions, and peppers. It is a dish that embodies the vibrant spirit of African culinary heritage, inviting food lovers on a journey of discovery with every spoonful. Embark on a culinary adventure as we unveil the secrets to crafting the perfect mafe, a testament to the culinary artistry of West Africa.

Let's cook with our recipes!

CHICKEN MAFE



Chicken Mafe image

This West African favorite, adapted from Rama Dione and Papa Diagne, balances the richness of peanut butter with tomato and aromatics, cooked down to a thick gravy. The addition of Southeast Asian fish sauce gives the dish depth and is somewhat traditional, given the Vietnamese influence, via the French, in Senegal. But absolutely traditional would be to eat this with guests, directly from a large platter, to demonstrate welcome and unity.

Provided by Francis Lam

Categories     soups and stews, main course

Time 1h45m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

12 cloves garlic
1 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled
Kosher salt and black pepper
Crushed red-pepper flakes
2 pounds bone-in chicken, skin removed
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 tablespoons fish sauce
6 ounces tomato paste
1 cup creamy unsweetened peanut butter
1/2 pound green cabbage, cut into 2-inch wedges
3 medium carrots, peeled, cut in 2-inch lengths
1 medium sweet potato
12 ounces waxy potatoes, like Yukon Gold
Scotch Bonnet chile slices, to taste (optional)
White rice, cooked, for serving

Steps:

  • Finely mince 6 cloves garlic and the ginger with a pinch of salt, plenty of black pepper and crushed red-pepper flakes to taste. Season chicken all over with salt, and rub with the garlic mixture. Marinate for three hours or overnight, refrigerated.
  • Finely chop the remaining 6 cloves of garlic. In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the onion, chopped garlic, 2 teaspoons kosher salt and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, until the onion is starting to become translucent. Stir in the fish sauce, then the tomato paste, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, until the paste and onions have combined and are a shade darker. Stir in 6 cups water, scraping up any browned bits.
  • Add the chicken, bring to a boil and turn heat down to a moderate simmer. In a mixing bowl, stir a cup of the cooking liquid into the peanut butter, a splash at a time, to loosen it. Pour the peanut butter mixture into the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the cabbage and carrots, and simmer 10 minutes. Peel and cut the sweet potato and waxy potatoes into 1 1/2-inch chunks, add them and simmer 30 minutes, until the vegetables and chicken are tender and the sauce is like a very thick gravy. (The oil will be separating in the sauce.) If the chicken and vegetables are tender but the sauce is still a little loose, remove them, and let the sauce cook down. Add the chile if using. Taste, adjust seasoning with salt and serve over white rice.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 848, UnsaturatedFat 33 grams, Carbohydrate 80 grams, Fat 45 grams, Fiber 12 grams, Protein 38 grams, SaturatedFat 9 grams, Sodium 1392 milligrams, Sugar 12 grams, TransFat 0 grams

CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE STEW IN PEANUT BUTTER TOMATO SAUCE: MAFE



Chicken and Vegetable Stew in Peanut Butter Tomato Sauce: Mafe image

Provided by Food Network

Categories     main-dish

Time 1h45m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

1/4 cup peanut or vegetable oil
1 (3-pound) chicken, cut in eighths
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 pound potato (1 large one)
1 small cabbage, cut in 1/2-inch pieces (or 6 Brussels sprouts)
1/2 pound carrots, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (or 6 patty pans, cut in half)
3 tablespoons Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce
1/2 cup peanut butter or "tigadege" (roasted peanut paste)
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, whole, optional
Steamed white rice, for serving

Steps:

  • In a large pot, heat oil until hot and brown chicken pieces on all sides. Remove chicken temporarily.
  • In the same frying pan, add the onions and stir until soft and slightly brown. Add the tomato paste and salt, and stir well.
  • Add all the prepared vegetables and fish sauce to the pot. Return the chicken to the pot and add just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, stir, and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Check the vegetables to avoid overcooking, removing them in a bowl as they are done.
  • When all the vegetables are cooked and removed from the stew, add the peanut butter or "tigadege", 1 tablespoon at a time to make sure it is well dissolved in the broth. Add the Scotch bonnet pepper, if using and simmer until broth thickens, about 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Return all the vegetables to the pot and simmer 5 minutes more. Serve over white rice.

WEST AFRICAN GROUNDNUT STEW (MAFE)



West African Groundnut Stew (Mafe) image

This is a yummy spicy stew, popular in Western Africa, particularly Senegal, Gambia, Mali and the Ivory Coast. Traditionally, it's made with black-eyed peas, but you can sub stew meat (usually chicken or beef) if you like! I was a little bit uncertain about the peanut butter, but it balanced the spiciness really well and gave the stew a creamy texture.

Provided by Stephanie Z.

Categories     Stew

Time 1h20m

Yield 10 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 21

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup water
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 (15 ounce) can black-eyed peas or 16 ounces lean stew meat
1/2 cup peanuts
2 -3 cups beef stock or 2 -3 cups water
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
6 ounces tomato paste
1 cup winter squash or 1 cup eggplant, 1/2-inch cubed
1 cup carrot, 1/2-inch cubed
1 cup turnip, 1/2-inch cubed
1 cup celery root, 1/2-inch cubed
2 sweet potatoes, 1/2-inch cubed
1 medium zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 teaspoon thyme
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper, to taste
3 cups cooked brown rice (optional)
3 bananas (optional) or 1 pineapple, sliced (optional)

Steps:

  • Combine peanut butter and 1/4 cup water.
  • Saute onion and green pepper in a little oil until soft, about 5 minutes.
  • In a large pot, add black-eyed peas (or meat), peanuts, water, beef stock (or water), tomatoes, tomato paste, all vegetables, spices, and peanut butter mixture. Stir well to combine.
  • Simmer on low heat for at least an hour, up to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. You may want to add more water to bring the stew to your desired consistency.
  • Serve over rice. Garnish with bananas or pineapple.

VEGETARIAN MAFE (AFRICAN STEW)



Vegetarian Mafe (African Stew) image

Make and share this Vegetarian Mafe (African Stew) recipe from Food.com.

Provided by Outta Here

Categories     Stew

Time 1h20m

Yield 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 13

4 tablespoons peanut oil (or Canola)
2 large onions, peeled and chopped
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
4 small turnips, peeled and chopped
4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 head cabbage, chopped
2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 bunch swiss chard, chopped
2 small jalapenos, seeded and chopped
2 cups tomato sauce
water, as needed
3/4 cup peanut butter (creamy or chunky)

Steps:

  • Heat oil in Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium-high heat.
  • Add the onions and cook until beginning to brown.
  • Add vegetables one at a time, sauteing each one for a minute or two before adding the next.
  • Stir in tomato sauce and about one cup of water (depending on thickness of stew you desire). Reduce heat & simmer until all the vegetables are tender (15-30 minutes).
  • Spoon out half a cup of the broth & mix it with the peanut butter to make a smooth paste. Return to the pot & simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Serve over cooked, hot rice (optional).

LAMB-SHOULDER MAFE WITH FONIO



Lamb-Shoulder Mafe With Fonio image

The Senegalese-born chef Pierre Thiam makes this lamb mafe with meat from the shoulder, on or off the bone, which goes tender after a stretch of unattended, gentle simmering. Adapting the dish in New York, Thiam thickened it with jarred peanut butter, which lends the sauce its characteristic creaminess, and Vietnamese fish sauce, for salty depth. Though he leaves the Scotch bonnet whole, if you want a more intense taste of it, crush it apart with a wooden spoon, and you'll tap right into its bright, floral heat. You could serve the stew with rice, or a number of other grains, but Thiam serves his on a heap of warm fonio, a tiny, tender, ancient grain that can be found partly cooked and dehydrated in many West African grocery stores, as well as specialty food stores and health food markets.

Provided by Tejal Rao

Categories     dinner, grains and rice, main course

Time 3h

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 25

2 tablespoons peanut oil
3 pounds lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
6 cups chicken stock, or water
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme, leaves removed and chopped
1 cup unsweetened smooth peanut butter
6 to 8 okra, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, left whole
2 tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce
1 bunch parsley, leaves finely chopped
3 scallions, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 of 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and finely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1 cup fonio

Steps:

  • Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Season the lamb with 1 tablespoon of salt, and brown in batches until all the meat is browned. Set aside the meat, and pour off excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot.
  • Add onion, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and cook until it turns translucent. Reduce heat to low, then add garlic, and stir well. Cook for a minute or 2, until it is fragrant, then add tomato paste, and cook for 7 more minutes, until the paste is dark in color. If the mixture begins to brown too quickly, lower the heat, and add a splash of water to deglaze the pan. Return the meat to the pot, add stock to cover meat and bring to a simmer. Add bay leaves, thyme and remaining salt, and cover. Cook for 2 hours on low heat, or until the meat is very tender.
  • Prepare the parsley topping: Combine the parsley, scallions, garlic, Scotch bonnet and lemon zest in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste, cover and refrigerate until it's time to serve.
  • Start the fonio: Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, and cook until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and carrot, and cook for 3 minutes more, until the garlic is fragrant. Add 1/4 cup water along with the peas, and cook covered, on low heat, until the carrot is tender, about 8 minutes, then turn off the heat, and set aside until you're ready to eat.
  • Finish the mafe: In a large bowl, gradually add a little hot liquid from the lamb to the peanut butter, mixing it with more and more liquid until it's thick, smooth and pourable. Return it all to the pot with the meat, and mix well. Add the okra, Scotch bonnet and fish sauce, and simmer gently, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or so, stirring frequently to avoid clumps of peanut butter at the bottom of the pot, until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon and a little bit of fat has pooled at the top.
  • Cook the fonio: In a pot with a tightly fitted lid, bring 2 cups of salted water to a boil, add the fonio, stir, cover and turn off the heat. After 5 minutes, remove the lid and fluff with a fork. Fold fonio into the shallots and peas, season and taste. To serve, pile bowls with fonio, top with lamb and generously sprinkle over the parsley.

"WEST AFRICAN'S FINEST" MAFE



Make and share this "West African's Finest" Mafe recipe from Food.com.

Provided by Food.com

Categories     African

Time 55m

Yield 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 16

1/2 cup peanut oil
4 carrots, cut in 1/2-finger size
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 large potatoes, cubed
2 large sweet potatoes, cubed
1 large onion, diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1/2 tablespoon cumin
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 (16 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
fine salt & freshly ground black pepper
4 cups stock, of your choice or 4 cups water
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
basmati rice, quinoa or couscous

Steps:

  • In a large pot over medium heat, heat the peanut oil. Add the carrots, garlic, potatoes, sweet potatoes and onions and mix well. Stir in the tomato paste, paprika, cayenne, cumin, thyme sprigs, chickpeas, salt and black pepper and mix well. Add the stock, making sure the level of the stock is above the veggies in the pot. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
  • Cover and bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the veggies are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn off the heat but leave the pot on the stove. Stir in the creamy peanut butter, mix well and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
  • Serve with basmati rice, quinoa, couscous or fufu.

MAFE TIGA BANTU



Mafe Tiga Bantu image

Popular in West Africa, this hearty fish stew is thickened with peanut butter for a sweet-salty taste.

Provided by F. Binta Diallo

Categories     main-dish

Time 2h

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

2 small yellow onions, cut into quarters
5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1/4 cup fresh parsley
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds red snapper fillets, cleaned, skinned and deboned
1 medium green bell pepper, roughly chopped
1/2 medium red bell pepper, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium firm tomato, diced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 teaspoons beef bouillon
1 large dried bay leaf
1 cup natural peanut butter
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces
1 whole Scotch bonnet chile
1 tablespoon soy sauce, if needed
4 cups cooked rice or foufou, for serving (see Cook's Note)

Steps:

  • Combine the quarters of 1 of the onions, 2 of the garlic cloves, the parsley leaves, 1 teaspoon sea salt and freshly ground pepper in a mortar and pestle or a food processor and muddle or pulse to chop until all the ingredients have processed into a green mush, about 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl.
  • Working in batches if necessary, place the snapper in the same mortar or food processor used for the parsley. Use the pestle to pound the fish or the food processor to pulse the fish to a malleable texture. Add the fish to the bowl with the parsley mixture and mix well using your hands. Using a tablespoon, form the mixture into round balls called "bantu" and set aside.
  • Rinse the mortar and pestle or food processor and add the remaining onion quarters, garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons salt and the green and red bell peppers and muddle until the ingredients are crushed, about 3 minutes in a mortar and pestle or 20 seconds in a food processor. This is called "knokoss." Place in a medium bowl and set aside.
  • Heat the oil in a 4-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Fry the bantu in batches until browned, about 2 minutes per side. When all the bantu has been browned, transfer to a medium bowl or plate and set aside.
  • Saute the knokoss in the same Dutch oven until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste and bouillon seasoning and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in 8 cups water and the bay leaf, bring to a simmer and let cook for 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the peanut butter until fully incorporated; the stew should turn a beige color and start to thicken. Stir until the stew starts to boil, then cover and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring gently every 10 minutes.
  • Add the sweet potatoes, carrots, and Scotch bonnet chile. Check for seasoning; if more salt is required add the soy sauce. Give it a big stir, cover and simmer for another 10 minutes.
  • Carefully add the bantu and reduce the heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes; the stew is done when a reddish peanut oil appears on top of the surface. Do not stir the oil to incorporate, simply turn off the stew and carefully remove the Scotch bonnet.
  • Serve over rice or foufou.

Tips:

  • Use fresh ingredients: Fresh ingredients will give your mafe a more vibrant flavor and aroma.
  • Don't be afraid to experiment with different spices: Mafe is a versatile dish that can be customized to your liking. Try adding different spices, such as cumin, coriander, or cayenne pepper, to create a unique flavor profile.
  • Simmer the mafe for at least 30 minutes: This will allow the flavors to meld and develop.
  • Serve mafe with rice or cassava: These are traditional accompaniments that will help to soak up the delicious sauce.
  • Garnish with fresh herbs: Cilantro, parsley, or basil are all great options for garnishing mafe.

Conclusion:

Mafe is a delicious and versatile dish that is perfect for any occasion. Whether you are looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal or a special dish to serve at a dinner party, mafe is sure to please. With its rich and flavorful sauce, tender chicken or beef, and hearty vegetables, mafe is a dish that everyone will love.

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