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Niema Digrazia

Maafe
S39E6 African · 2025
Where to find them
● @niemascookerycornershv

Maafe is West African peanut stew — a dish built on groundnut paste, tomato, and time. It is not the dish you expect to see in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Niema Digrazia, who runs Abby Singer's Bistro in Shreveport, brought it to Bobby's kitchen in 2025 anyway. The technique she would have leaned on is the one maafe lives or dies by: blooming the tomato paste in oil until it goes brick-red and sweet, then whisking the peanut paste in slowly so it loosens rather than seizing. Skip either step and you get peanut soup. Do both and you get a stew that tastes like four hours of work compressed into one bowl.

Bobby has lost to African cuisine a handful of times in this ledger. This is one of those handful.

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Maafe

25 min Prep
50 min Cook
4 Serves
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
  • 1 cup natural peanut butter, unsweetened
  • 2 large carrots, cut into 1-inch rounds
  • 1 lb Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1.5-inch chunks
  • 1 large onion, diced fine
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 3 cups beef stock
  • 2 tbsp peanut oil
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
Instructions
  1. Heat peanut oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Season beef cubes with salt and pepper. Working in two batches to avoid crowding, sear beef 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden brown. Transfer to a plate.
  2. Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion to the pot and cook 4-5 minutes until softened and lightly caramelized, scraping up browned bits. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  3. Return beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Sprinkle cayenne pepper and ground ginger over the meat, stirring to coat evenly. Pour in beef stock and add bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and braise for 25 minutes.
  4. Add carrot rounds and potato chunks to the pot, stirring to submerge. Cover and continue braising for 15-18 minutes until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
  5. While vegetables finish cooking, whisk peanut butter with 0.5 cup warm water until smooth and pourable. Slowly pour peanut butter mixture into the pot, stirring constantly to incorporate without lumping. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly and reaches 190°F on a thermometer.
  6. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, cayenne, or ginger as needed. Remove bay leaf. Serve hot in deep bowls, ensuring each portion gets beef, vegetables, and creamy peanut sauce.
Inspired by Niema Digrazia’s winning maafe. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.
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