MAFE (A SENEGALESE PEANUT OR GROUNDNUT STEW RECIPE)

Western Africa is made up of 16 countries and each country inhabits different tribes, cultures and food. The beautiful thing about Western Africa (when it comes to food) is the similarity in ingredients and differences in taste and cooking methods.

Today I’m inspired by the Senegalese Peanut or Groundnut stew known as Mafe.

In Ghana and Togo they have something similar called Groundnut soup which has a nutty and creamy flavour, whereby the Senegalese Mafe stew has a nutty, caramelised and tangy flavour. The consistency of each dish also heightens their differences with the similar ingredient of Groundnut or Peanut paste.

This recipe used fish sauce (which is readily available in most supermarkets across the UK) for that umami flavour, however in the absence of that you can use either any dried salted fish or Dawadawa (fermented locust beans.

Use the remaining oil for browning your meat for this dish.

I served the dish with the steamed Waakye leaf infused Jasmine rice (recipe is available on my YouTube channel, ‘Ndudu by Fafa’).

Let’s start!

INGREDIENTS 

2 tablespoonfuls of Peanut butter or Groundnut paste

2 large Lamb shanks or your preferred meat

5 chopped Green chillies

1 Habanero chilli

4 large fresh Tomatoes 

2 tablespoonfuls of Tomato purée 

2 large peeled and sliced Onions

8 tablespoonfuls of Coconut oil (use half for roasting your potatoes and remaining half for browning the meat£

8 cloves of Garlic

20g of Ginger

2 tablespoonfuls of Fish sauce or Lemon juice (substitute - half a teaspoon of Dawadawa or 10g of dried salted Fish)

150g of peeled Potatoes cut into chunks 

750ml of water 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Watch how to prepare this incredible dish below;

Don’t forget to subscribe, try the recipe and share with your family and friends.

All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

THE PERFECT GROUNDNUT SOUP RECIPE (NKATIE KWAN)

I urge every Ghanaian to promote Ghana positively to the rest of the world and support more local businesses. Whilst you're deliberating on how to show your support, why not enjoy this classic Ghanaian recipe.  In paying homage to a classic Ghanaian Sunday lunch, enjoy this Groundnut soup recipe with either 'Omo Tuo' (steamed rice balls), boiled Yam, Cocoyam, Plantain or Fufu. 

 

Groundnut soup is one of the best tasting Ghanaian dishes and its versatility with what one accompanies it with, makes it a firm favourite in most Ghanaian homes.

I've used a mixture of Peanut and Almond butter to make this dish before and it was incredible. I'll share that recipe soon.

I've also noticed the addition of cooked black eyed beans,boiled eggs, various vegetables etc been served alongside the dish. Inspired by adding a touch of colour I served mine with steamed Okra. 

The Groundnut or Peanut butter soup can be made with Chicken, Lamb, Mutton, Goat, Beef, Fish or Vegetables. Be creative and enjoy this recipe. 

 Nigerians refer to the rice balls as 'Tuwon Shinkafa' and the similarities of ingredients for both countries(Ghana & Nigeria) fills me with intrigue, even though different methods of cooking are involved.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

Spiced Groundnut paste

400g of Peanut butter / Groundnut paste

1 large fresh Tomatoes

1 medium onion

20g of peeled Ginger

600ml of water / stock

Soup

2 litres of Chicken stock

1 Habanero chilli or Scotch Bonnet

1 large red Onion

2 medium tomatoes

2 tablespoons of Tomato purée 

12 steamed Okra (heads and tails cut off)

Chicken

1.4 kg of Chicken, cut into sizeable chunks. 

30g of freshly peeled Ginger

2 cloves of Garlic

1 large onion

3 Green Chillies 

100ml of water

1 Habanero chilli / Scotch Bonnet.

Rice

350g of ground rice or rice flour 

150g of rice

800ml of water

1 teaspoon of salt

Method: 

Spicy Peanut butter paste;

In a blender add the Peanut paste, Ginger, Onion, Tomatoes and stock or water. 

Blend everything together till smooth. Transfer the contents to a saucepan and place on a medium heat. 

Cook gently for 30 - 45  minutes, stirring frequently or till you have a thick and oily paste. (see below)

Chicken

Blend together the Ginger, Onion, Garlic and Green chillies together. 

Marinade the Chicken with the Ginger and chilli mix for at least an hour. 

Transfer the marinated Chicken into a saucepan and place on a medium heat.

 Add the whole Scotch Bonnet and steam the Chicken in its own juices for 10 minutes, on a low heat. 

Add 100 ml of water and cook for a further 5 minutes and set aside. 

Soup

Add 1 litre of Chicken stock to the spicy peanut paste and mix till well combined. 

Using a fine strainer, pass the spicy peanut mixture through into a saucepan and place on a medium heat. 

Add the tomato paste and mix well. 

Add the 2 medium tomatoes , Scotch bonnet and red onion. 

Cook gently on a medium heat for 30 minutes or until the onion and tomatoes are soft. 

Remove the tomatoes, onion, chilli and place in a blender 

Add the remaining litre of Chicken stock and blend to a smooth consistency. 

Pass the tomato mixture through the fine strainer into the Peanut soup. 

Cook the soup gently (still on a medium heat) for 10 minutes. 

Add the steamed Chicken to the soup and cook further for 10-15 minutes. 

 Tip:

The soup is done when the peanut oil settles on the surface

Rice:

Mix the rice , salt and water in a saucepan and place on a medium heat. 

Place the lid over the saucepan and steam the rice for 25 minutes, on a medium heat. 

Tip:

The texture of the rice ball should be moist and firm. 

Using a wooden spoon, stir the rice mixture to release the starch of the rice. 

The rice is done once it's soft to taste. 

Scoop a ladle of the rice into a bowl and shape into a ball. (See above).                

   

To serve

Scoop 3 ladles of the peanut butter soup into a bowl, add a rice ball or Fufu, some chicken pieces and the optional steamed Okra. 

Best served with a chilled beer or Riesling wine. 

Find more inspiring recipes, like this grilled Peri Peri Chicken on my YouTube channel, 'Ndudu by Fafa' and don't forget to subscribe and share. 

All photos and recipes are by the owner of this blog.  

PEANUT BUTTER SOUP

On the 'Ndudu by Fafa' cookery show on ABNTV, Sky 235 this week, I paid homage to a classic Ghanaian Sunday lunch 'Omo Tuo', which is 'Rice balls' usually served with Peanut butter soup 'Nkatie Kwan', Palmnut soup or a mixture of both. 

I've also noticed the addition of cooked black eyed beans, served alongside the dish, as I serve mine with steamed Okra. 

The peanut butter soup can be made with Chicken, Lamb, Goat, Beef, Fish or Vegetables. 

On set

 Nigerians refer to the rice balls as 'Tuwon Shinkafa' and the similarities of ingredients for both countries(Ghana & Nigeria) fills me with intrigue, even though different methods of cooking are involved. 

Serves 6

Ingredients:

Spiced Peanut paste

400g of Peanut butter / Groundnut paste

1 large fresh Tomatoes

1 medium onion

20g of peeled Ginger

600ml of water / stock

Soup

2 litres of Chicken stock

1 Habanero chilli or Scotch Bonnet

1 large red Onion

2 medium tomatoes

2 tablespoons of Tomato purée 

12 steamed Okra (heads and tails cut off)

Chicken

1.4 kg of Chicken, cut into sizeable chunks. 

30g of freshly peeled Ginger

2 cloves of Garlic

1 large onion

3 Green Chillies 

100ml of water

1 Habanero chilli / Scotch Bonnet.

Rice

350g of ground rice or rice flour 

150g of rice

800ml of water

1 teaspoon of salt

Method: 

Spicy Peanut butter paste;

In a blender add the Peanut paste, Ginger, Onion, Tomatoes and stock or water. 

Blend everything together till smooth. Transfer the contents to a saucepan and place on a medium heat. 

Cook gently for 30 - 45  minutes, stirring frequently or till you have a thick and oily paste. (see below)

Chicken

Blend together the Ginger, Onion, Garlic and Green chillies together. 

Marinade the Chicken with the Ginger and chilli mix for at least an hour. 

Transfer the marinated Chicken into a saucepan and place on a medium heat.

 Add the whole Scotch Bonnet and steam the Chicken in its own juices for 10 minutes, on a low heat. 

Add 100 ml of water and cook for a further 5 minutes and set aside. 

Soup

Add 1 litre of Chicken stock to the spicy peanut paste and mix till well combined. 

Using a fine strainer, pass the spicy peanut mixture through into a saucepan and place on a medium heat. 

Add the tomato paste and mix well. 

Add the 2 medium tomatoes , Scotch bonnet and red onion. 

Cook gently on a medium heat for 30 minutes or until the onion and tomatoes are soft. 

Remove the tomatoes, onion, chilli and place in a blender 

Add the remaining litre of Chicken stock and blend to a smooth consistency. 

Pass the tomato mixture through the fine strainer into the Peanut soup. 

Cook the soup gently (still on a medium heat) for 10 minutes. 

Add the steamed Chicken to the soup and cook further for 10-15 minutes. 

 Tip:

The soup is done when the peanut oil settles on the surface

Rice:

Mix the rice , salt and water in a saucepan and place on a medium heat. 

Place the lid over the saucepan and steam the rice for 25 minutes, on a medium heat. 

Tip:

The texture of the rice ball should be moist and firm. 

Using a wooden spoon, stir the rice mixture to release the starch of the rice. 

The rice is done once it's soft to taste. 

Scoop a ladle of the rice into a bowl and shape into a ball. (See above)

                            

   

To serve

Scoop 3 ladles of the peanut butter soup into a bowl, add a rice ball, some chicken pieces and the optional steamed Okra. 

Best served with a chilled beer or Riesling wine. 

All photos and recipes are by the owner of this blog.