Vegetable Mafé (West African Peanut Soup) with Rice Balls
West Africa – what treasures we find there! Its cuisine is a rich tapestry of exotic and grounded flavors. One great dish is Peanut or Groundnut Soup, which has different names depending on which country in West Africa you visit. In Senegal it is called MAFÉ, a beloved and very common main dish typically made with meat like chicken, but which also shines in its vegetarian/vegan version.
Mafé is a peanut-based stew that is both hearty and filling, perfect for cooler days or when you’re in need of a comforting meal. Just as in the mountains of northern Portugal, where summer seems to have ended early or hardly started at all this year with temperatures lingering around 20°C, it feels just right to warm up our bones with stews, soups, and more substantial dishes.
When exploring recipes for peanut soup in Africa, you’ll quickly find that every country claims to have the best version… This, feel free to adapt your recipe according to your tastes and what you have on hand to create your very personal best recipe – any vegetable that pairs well with peanut butter can work in mafé. Choices can include root vegetables, green beans, and even spinach. The key ingredient is, of course, peanut butter, so don’t be shy with it.
In Western African countries like Gambia, it’s especially popular to serve mafé with so called rice balls — simple, spoon-mashed boiled rice formed into egg-shaped balls that are placed onto the soup or serving dish.
African-Style Passion Fruit Drink
Also prevalent in today’s African culinary scene are refreshing drinks made with passion fruit. This stunningly beautiful fruit, with its utterly striking flowers and truly wonderful flavor, is often used in a variety of beverages. While in Africa passion fruit seems to be frequently paired with mango for a truly delightful combination, you can easily adapt based on what’s available. As we are lucky to have an abundance of oranges from a friend’s garden, it was just obvious to use them to make a wonderful drink. You can also experiment with adding coconut milk or coconut water for a tropical twist — let your creativity guide you.
Recipe: African-Style Passion Fruit Drink
Ingredients:
- 1 maracuja (passion fruit) per glass/person
- Juice of 2 oranges (or substitute with another fruit like mango) – ca. 120 ml
- 1-2 tablespoons of agave nectar or sugar (adjust to taste)
- Ice cubes (optional)
Instructions:
- Prepare the Passion Fruit: Cut the maracuja in half and scoop out the pulp into a bowl.
- Juice the Oranges: Squeeze the juice from the oranges and add it to the bowl with the passion fruit pulp.
- Sweeten: Stir in nectar or sugar to taste.
- Blend (Optional): Blend the passion fruit mixture. You can sieve out the seeds.
- Serve: Pour the drink over a few ice cubes in a glass.
Experiment with the flavors and fruits you have on hand, and enjoy a taste of Africa from your own kitchen!
We wish you a wonderful week filled with warmth and delicious meals, sending you lots of love from Azias!
Vegetable Mafé (West African Peanut Soup) with Rice Balls
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp paprika powder for an original = spicy mafé use chili powder or, even better, fresh chili
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks can be sweet potatoes too
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut in large pieces
- 2 handfuls pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut in chunks best here is butternut or other squash
- 2 large very ripe tomatoes, cut in pieces
- 4 tbsp peanut butter unsweetened
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1-2 tbsp fresh cilantro, parsley or else, chopped
- 3/4 cup rice
- 1 3/4 cup water
Instructions
- Heat up the oil, add the tomato paste and paprika powder, sauté for a minute. Add the tomatoes, continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the other vegetables, stir and let them adopt flavor for another minute.
- Add the peanut butter, water, salt and herbs, cover the pot with a lid and let the soup simmer until the potatoes are fork tender (30-40 mins).
- Boil the rice in the water. Once the water is absorbed, the rice done, let it cool down for 5 minutes, lid on.
- With a spoon, mash the rice and form balls, using your hands.
- Season your soup with salt and pepper/chili (optionsl). Serve the rice balls placed on the soup.