1:20in productionCh. 1 · What the dish is and where it came from/ 1:20 · ceiling 15 min
Dishes · Food history
Peanut stew
A West African stew with peanut paste, meat, vegetables, and spices, served with rice or fufu.
Groundnut stew—also called maafe, tigadɛgɛna, or domodah—is a staple West African stew. It originated in Senegal as maafe during the colonial era. In Mali, tigadéguéna developed separately among Mandinka and Bambara communities. Maafe became Mali’s national dish after being imported from Senegal.
Groundnut stew—also called maafe, tigadɛgɛna, or domodah—is a staple West African stew.
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How it works, in terms someone would actually use
Senegalese maafe combines creamy peanut paste with tomato, oil, meat, onion, garlic, vegetables, and spices.
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What it gets right
It gets right a rich, savory-sweet balance from peanut paste and aromatic vegetables.
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What it does not
It does not offer a shea-butter-based version like Malian tigadéguéna.
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What it changed
It evolved from bassi guerte, a peanut butter sauce served with millet-based couscous, shifting to rice and adding tomatoes and spices.
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Who it is for, and who it is not
It is for people who enjoy hearty, peanut-based stews with meat and vegetables.
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Is it worth your time
Yes—it is worth your time if you want a widely enjoyed, culturally significant West African stew with accessible ingredients and regional variations.
Worth your time?
Selectively. Start with the brief, then cook the parts we point at.
What works
It gets right a rich, savory-sweet balance from peanut paste and aromatic vegetables. Its adaptability across West Africa—and in France and Cameroon—reflects broad appeal rooted in its core components.
What does not
It does not offer a shea-butter-based version like Malian tigadéguéna. The Senegalese rice-based format makes it less suitable as a fufu accompaniment than tigadéguéna.
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The written brief1 min read
What the dish is and where it came from
Groundnut stew—also called maafe, tigadɛgɛna, or domodah—is a staple West African stew. It originated in Senegal as maafe during the colonial era. In Mali, tigadéguéna developed separately among Mandinka and Bambara communities. Maafe became Mali’s national dish after being imported from Senegal.
How it works, in terms someone would actually use
Senegalese maafe combines creamy peanut paste with tomato, oil, meat, onion, garlic, vegetables, and spices. It is served over rice. Malian tigadéguéna is more watery and uses unrefined shea butter instead of oil.
What it gets right
It gets right a rich, savory-sweet balance from peanut paste and aromatic vegetables. Its adaptability across West Africa—and in France and Cameroon—reflects broad appeal rooted in its core components.
What it does not
It does not offer a shea-butter-based version like Malian tigadéguéna. The Senegalese rice-based format makes it less suitable as a fufu accompaniment than tigadéguéna.
What it changed
It evolved from bassi guerte, a peanut butter sauce served with millet-based couscous, shifting to rice and adding tomatoes and spices.
Who it is for, and who it is not
It is for people who enjoy hearty, peanut-based stews with meat and vegetables. It is not for those seeking a shea-butter-based or fufu-centric preparation like Malian tigadéguéna.
Is it worth your time
Yes—it is worth your time if you want a widely enjoyed, culturally significant West African stew with accessible ingredients and regional variations.