Ingredients
The meat and the base:
- Beef: 500g to 1kg (cut into cubes; choose a piece to simmer).
- Oil: ½ cup.
- Onions: 2 medium (finely chopped).
- Tomato concentrate: 2 to 3 tablespoons (essential for color and base).
Peanut sauce:
- Peanut paste: 3 to 4 large tablespoons (unsweetened).
- Water: 1 to 1.5 liters (depending on the desired thickness).
Vegetables and Herbs:
- Vegetables: Carrots, potatoes and cassava, cut into large pieces.
- Spices: Salt, black pepper and broth (optional).
- Aromatics: 2 to 3 cloves of garlic (chopped) and 1 to 2 bay leaves.
- The spice: 1 whole habanero pepper (leave it whole to prevent it from stinging too much).
Instructions
1. Brown the meat
- Heat theoil in a large pot.
- Add the beef cubes and sear them until they are golden brown on all sides.
- Add the chopped onions and fry them until they are tender and lightly browned.
2. Create the tomato base
- Incorporate the tomato paste. Let it brown with the meat and onions for about 3 to 5 minutes. This step “frys” the tomato to remove its acidity and create a deep red base.
- Add thechopped garlic, the bay leaves, as well as a little salt and pepper.
3. Prepare the peanut sauce
- In a separate bowl, mix the peanut paste with a little lukewarm water to relax it until you obtain a smooth liquid.
- Pour this peanut mixture into the pot, then add the rest of thewater.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat.
4. Simmer with vegetables
- Add the carrots, the cassava and the whole pepper.
- Cover and simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Add the potatoes later (as they cook more quickly) and continue to simmer until the meat is tender and the oil begins to rise to the surface – this is a sign that the Mafé is perfectly cooked.
Presentation suggestion
Mafé is traditionally served on a generous bed of white rice (fragrant rice). The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.