Poulet Mafé - Senegalese Chicken & Peanut Stew

Mafé or maafe, a peanut stew with just the right amount of heat, known throughout West Africa, originated in the Senegambia region. It features a rich, velvet-smooth gravy made from ground peanuts or unsweetened peanut butter and tomatoes, loaded with tender meat and/or vegetables, and served over rice or couscous. While lamb and beef provide a traditional, deeply flavourful broth, other variations like chicken, seafood and tofu pairs brilliantly with the sauce too. You can also make this with just root vegetables, like pumpkins, cassava, carrots, sweet potatoes, and turnips. Original recipe from Senegalese chef Pierre Thiam via Food & Wine calls for a mixture of root vegetables and cabbage, I just used cauliflowers to make it low-carb friendly. However, the stew is highly customizable, use other vegetables and protein you personally enjoy.


3 Medium garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 tbsp Fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped Sea salt and freshly milled black pepper 1-1.2 kg Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 3 tbsp Chicken schmaltz (or oil) 1 Medium yellow onion, chopped 150 g Tomato paste 60 ml Fish sauce 1 tsp Cayenne pepper 1l Chicken broth or water 200 g Unsweetened creamy peanut butter, well stirred 1 Small head of cauliflowers, cut into even florets Chopped parsley, to garnish

3 Medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp Fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
1-1.2 kg Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
3 tbsp Chicken schmaltz (or oil)
1 Medium yellow onion, chopped
150 g Tomato paste
60 ml Fish sauce
1 tsp Cayenne pepper
1l Chicken broth or water
200 g Unsweetened creamy peanut butter, well stirred
1 Small head of cauliflowers, cut into even florets
Chopped parsley, to garnish

Mix together garlic, ginger, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken and press garlic mixture into chicken pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate for at least 3 hours or up to 12 hours.
Heat chicken schmaltz in a large Dutch oven over medium-high until hot. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until onion starts to become translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, fish sauce and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until combined and tomato paste caramelizes and turns a few shades darker, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add chicken stock or water, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of Dutch oven. Add chicken and any remaining garlic mixture in bowl to Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium-low.
Place peanut butter in a medium-size heatproof bowl. Stir in some liquid from Dutch oven until peanut butter is thinned out and mixture is creamy. Add to mixture in Dutch oven and bring to a vigorous simmer over medium-low for 45 minutes, adding in cauliflower florets for the last 10 minutes, until chicken and cauliflowers are tender and oil has separated from thickened sauce. Season with salt to taste. Garnish with chopped parsley.