← Nouns Cooking · West & East African

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg stewing beef (chuck), cut into 4 cm cubes
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp Black pepper
• 3 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1 Onion, diced
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp Tomato purée (paste)
• 2 tsp Paprika
• 150 g smooth unsweetened peanut butter
• 1 l hot beef stock
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 scotch bonnet, left whole
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into big chunks
• 2 Carrot, cut into chunks
• 8 Okra (optional)

Method

1. Season the beef with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the beef in batches for 4–5 min per batch. Set aside.
2. Lower the heat to medium and fry the onion for 5 min until soft. Add the garlic for 1 minute, then the tomato paste and paprika for 2–3 min, until darkened.
3. Whisk the peanut butter with a ladle of the hot stock until smooth, then stir it into the pot with the rest of the stock, the beef, bay leaves and whole scotch bonnet.
4. Simmer, partly covered, for 1 hour, stirring now and then so the peanut sauce does not catch on the bottom.
5. Add the sweet potato and carrots and simmer for 20–25 min until tender. Add the okra, if using, for the last 10 min. The sauce should be thick, with a sheen of red oil on top.
6. Fish out the scotch bonnet (or burst it for more heat), check the salt and serve over white rice or fonio.

Tips

• Contains peanuts, a major allergen.
• For chicken mafé, use bone-in thighs and simmer them for about 35 min in total, until they reach 75°C (165°F).

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Low Carb Africa Travel & Munchies