Senegalese · main
Maafe (Lamb in Groundnut Sauce)
Maafe (Lamb in Groundnut Sauce) reads umami 8.1, richness 7.0 and nutty 4.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Senegalese main, about 2 hr 3 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 8.8 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 4.8 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 2.4 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 2.7 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 8.4 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 4.0 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Umami 8.1 · Richness 7.0 · Nutty 4.7 · Sweetness 4.1 · Salinity 3.8 · Funk & Ferment 3.7 · Allium 3.5 · Heat 3.5 · Earthy 2.5 · Fruity 2.3 · Sourness 2.2 · Herbaceous 1.2 · Bitterness 1.2 · Floral 0.9 · Warm Spice 0.7 · Citrus 0.6
What's in it (15)
- lamb shoulder roast — 1000 g
- peanut butter — 300 g
- peanut oil — 55 g
- onions — 350 g
- tomato paste — 70 g
- tomatoes — 300 g
- scotch bonnet chillies — 100 g
- garlic — 12 g
- cassava — 300 g
- carrots — 200 g
- sweet potato — 250 g
- netetou — 15 g
- water — 1500 g
- salt — 10 g
- white rice — 400 g
Time & effort: about 2 hr 3 min · effort: involved
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 102.3 kcal, 6 g protein, 4.6 g fat, 8.9 g carbs
Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (8 steps)
- Brown the lamb in the groundnut oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat, in two batches, about 8 minutes, until well coloured on all sides.
- Add the onions and cook 6 minutes until soft, then the garlic for 1 minute.
- Stir in the tomato paste and fry 5 minutes until it darkens to brick red.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and cook 10 minutes until they break down and the oil separates.
- In a bowl, whisk the groundnut paste with 500 ml of hot water, a ladleful at a time, 3 minutes, until it is completely smooth and pours like cream.
- Pour the groundnut cream into the pot with the remaining 1 litre of water, the netetou, the whole scotch bonnet and the salt. Simmer very gently, uncovered, 1 hour, stirring up from the bottom every 10 minutes. Groundnut paste sinks and scorches, and a burnt maafe cannot be rescued.
- Add the cassava, carrot and sweet potato and cook 30 minutes more, until the vegetables are tender and a clear orange oil has risen in a slick on the surface. That slick is the sign the sauce has broken properly.
- Serve over steamed broken rice.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Classic Bibimbap with Fried Egg — Korean
- Bibimbap (비빔밥) — Korean
- Beef Bibimbap — Korean
- Gochujang Tofu Stir-Fry — Korean
- Spicy Pork Bulgogi — Korean
Keep reading: what umami, richness, nutty mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.