Mafé with lamb and peanut

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 1 large leg of lamb, approx. 1 – 2.5 kg, boned
• 6 garlic cloves
• 2 large eggplants
• 4 small zucchini
• Olive oil for frying
• 2 liters of water
• 4 tubes of tomato paste
• 2 stock cubes
• 6 large onions
• 10 thick carrots
• 1 bunch of celery
• 1 cassava
• 5 large okra
• 5 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• 3 sprigs of oregano
• 3 large chili peppers
• 5 large potatoes
• 3 large sweet potatoes
• 2 cups peanut butter, approx. 500 g each, more or less
• 1 vine(s) of tomatoes
• 1 bag of basmati rice or couscous, approx. 1 kg
• possibly red wine
• tomatoes, peeled, from the can, approx. 400 g

Instructions

Working time approx. 3 hours 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 5 hours 30 minutes

Cut the boneless lamb into cubes. Using a sharp knife, cut a pocket into the cubes and press about half a clove of garlic into each piece. Briefly sear the meat in a large, at least 10-liter pot without seasoning and immediately remove from the heat. The meat should still be raw inside; remove from the pot and set aside. Add the eggplant and zucchini to the pot with a little olive oil and cook over medium-low heat for 10-20 minutes until mushy. As soon as the mash starts to dry out, add a little water or red wine. Now increase the heat to high. Add the tomato paste and stir briefly. Before it starts to dry out, pour in about 2 liters of water and add the stock cubes. Bring to a boil briefly and then return the meat to the pot. Add a little more water if necessary to ensure everything is covered. Simmer for about 10-20 minutes. Add the halved carrots and onions, along with roughly chopped celery, halved cassava, okra, and the spices. Simmer at medium heat for another 10 minutes. Then add the potatoes, sweet potatoes, and peanut butter and cover. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 1.5–2 hours. As soon as thick fat pools appear on the top of the liquid, test the meat, root vegetables, and potatoes to see how tender everything is. Finally, add the whole tomatoes to the pot. Cook the rice according to the package instructions and serve separately. Tip: After the first boil with the vegetables and lamb, remove 1–2 ladles of the liquid and place it in a small pot. Add an extra tube of tomato paste and whole canned tomatoes with the fresh chilies. This paste will then have the true flavor of the dish, only with absolute power. This way, everyone can give this dish the appropriate level of spiciness. The paste also freezes perfectly in small ice cube trays. Note: Many ingredients can be omitted. In African restaurants, the cooking is more “standard.” However, it should always include a soft-cooking vegetable, a root vegetable, and a filling vegetable. I learned about and adopted this somewhat more elaborate version from my Senegalese father about 30 years ago. Because of the large number of vegetables, the cooking time is closer to 3-4 hours. The cooking itself only takes about 1.5 to 2 hours.