In brief
- Fish mafé: fish stew simmered in a peanut sauce, served with white rice.
- Origin: a dish born in Mali, the fish variant is very common along the Senegalese coast.
- Essential ingredients: firm-fleshed fish, peanut paste, tomato paste, onion, garlic.
- A family dish, prepared for everyday meals as well as for special occasions.
Origins and cultural history of fish mafé
Mafé originated in Mali, among the Mandinka and Bambara peoples, who also call it tigadegena, “peanut sauce” in Bambara, or domoda in Mandinka. Before peanuts arrived in West Africa, brought in the 16th century by Portuguese and Spanish traders, Malian cooks prepared a comparable sauce based on Bambara groundnuts.
The dish then spread throughout West Africa, particularly in Senegal, where the fish variant is common along the coast, as an alternative to beef, lamb or chicken. The fish is simmered there in the same peanut and tomato sauce as the other versions, with the same vegetables, sweet potato and carrot, but for a shorter cooking time.
What are the essential ingredients of fish mafé
The base stays the same as for the other versions of mafé: a protein simmered in a peanut and tomato sauce. Fish needs a shorter cooking time than meat, so it is added at the end of preparation so it does not fall apart.
- firm-fleshed fish
- peanut paste
- tomato paste
- onion and garlic
- vegetables: carrot, sweet potato
- chilli
What to know about fish mafé
Fish mafé is a stew of fish simmered in a peanut paste and tomato sauce, served with white rice. Born in Mali, mafé has a fish version that is very common on the Senegalese coast, as an alternative to beef, lamb or chicken. It includes carrot and sweet potato, along with a firm-fleshed fish such as grouper, sea bream or capitaine, added at the end of cooking so that it holds together in pieces.
Frequently asked questions about fish mafé
What is the difference between fish mafé and meat mafé?
No difference in how the sauce is made: only the protein changes. Fish cooks much faster than beef or chicken, so it is added at the end of cooking, once the peanut sauce has already simmered, whereas meat cooks in the sauce from the start.
Which fish should be chosen for a mafé?
A firm-fleshed fish that holds up during cooking: grouper, sea bream or Nile perch are commonly used in West Africa. It is added in pieces during the last ten to fifteen minutes of cooking, so it does not overcook and fall apart in the sauce.
Where to find the ingredients for fish mafé in France?
NKOSI sells peanut paste, tomato paste, fish stock and other dry mafé products, and ships them from the Paris area within 24 to 72 working hours, to mainland France (2 to 3 working days) and to ten European countries. The minimum order is 39 €: in France, delivery to a pickup point is then free, and home delivery is free from 69 €.
