Introduction
West African cuisine is rich and diverse, with many dishes passed down for generations. Mafé is a traditional West African peanut stew. It is well-known across Senegal, Mali, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and the Gambia, referred to as Domoda. It is also one of the national dishes of Gambia.
Variations
You will find different variations of the Mafé across the West African sub-region. You can make it with beef, lamb or fish. But you can also prepare it without any meat using carrots, okra, potatoes, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, onions, tomatoes, garlic, cabbage chilies, and lots of spices.
How to store Chicken Stew
You can keep it in the fridge for three days or in the freezer for a couple of months. When reheating, make sure that you do so slowly and gently over low heat not to overcook the chicken.
Side Dishes
White Rice: The Mafé is most commonly served with white rice. This delicious combination is a West African classic.
Couscous: This is a popular side dish found in many cuisines worldwide, from North Africa to Asia. According to preference, it’s made from semolina, durum wheat, and sometimes added spices such as cumin or coriander for flavor.
Fufu: Fufu is a starch made from cassava or yams. It is often eaten with sauces and stews such as the Mafé. Its consistency is similar to that of dough or thick batter.
WEST AFRICAN CHICKEN MAFÉ
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Peanut oil
- 1 lb Chicken breast, skinless and boneless cut into strips
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 Onions finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons Tomato paste
- 2 cups Water
- 4 Tomatoes cubed
- 1 clove Garlic minced
- 1 Yellow bell pepper chopped
- 1 Seasoning cube
- 3 tablespoons Peanut butter
- ½ Head cabbage
- 3 Carrots chopped
- 1 Small cassava chopped
- 1 Small eggplant cubed
- 2 Potatoes cubed
- 1 Sweet potato cubed
- ½ Medium turnip cubed
Instructions
- Heat the peanut oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the chicken and season it with some salt and pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes until it gets a nice brown color. Take the chicken out and set it aside.
- Add the onion, and cook over medium-eat until it is translucent.
- Add the tomato paste and water, continue stirring until the tomato paste is well mixed.
- Then, blend the tomatoes, garlic, yellow pepper, seasoning cube, salt, and some water in a blender. Blend it and add it to the saucepan.
- Mix the peanut butter with a little bit of the cooking liquid and stir until smooth.
- Add the chicken back to the pot with all the vegetables, cover it, lower the heat, and cook it for 20 to 25minutes.
- Let it steam, stirring a coupleof times for around 20 minutes
- Serve hot with white rice.
