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Mafé Peanut Sauce

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Rice ball dipped into a bowl of maf peanut sauce.
Photo by Evan Sung

Mafé is my go-to sauce whenever I’m feeling a little bit homesick, or lazy, or in need of that warm, fuzzy feeling you get from eating your favorite comfort food. Known as one of the mother sauces of African cuisine, this incredibly versatile preparation can be paired with roast chicken, grilled fish, roasted vegetables, plain rice, or pretty much whatever you want. If you like peanuts, peanut butter, or any kind of peanut-flavored anything, this recipe is definitely for you. While mafé is good fresh off the stove, I also love reheating and eating it the next day, as the sauce tends to improve overnight after the flavors have expanded.

This recipe was excerpted from 'Simply West African' by Pierre Thiam. Buy the full book on Amazon.

What you’ll need

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