My Version of Little Baobab's Mafe Tofu...And it's BETTER.

SF locals may or may not have ever eaten at Little Baobab, a cozy, delicious Senegalese place that turns into a hot, sweaty nightclub latenight. After trying everything I could on the menu, my favorite dish there is their Mafe Tofu. Mafe is a peanut-based sauce traditionally slathered over meat. Thankfully, the fine folks at Little Baobab make a yummy vegan version that us veggies can enjoy. After my last visit, I told Jeff I wanted to try to make it at home and this is what I came up with. Quite a bit different, but dare I say, even better than the original! My version is filled with yams, potatoes, chickpeas, spinach, onion and tomatoes, but feel free to experiment with all kinds different veggies. I'm pretty sure this would work beautifully with nearly anything.* I hope you enjoy it! Oh, and the only picture I actually took is the one above. The rest I pinched off the internets. Next time I make this, I'll get some better snaps! 

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients: 

1 TBSP olive oil
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped

1 can drained and rinsed chickpeas
2 small yams, chopped
2 small regular old potatoes, chopped

4-6 cups fresh spinach

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, seeded and sliced
28 ounce can/box of diced tomatoes

2 TBSP of tomato paste

1/2 lb. extra firm tofu, cubed
1/2 cup smooth (or nutty, I suppose) peanut butter (I used Earth Balance)
2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 bay leaves

2 cups short-grain brown rice or warmed pita bread
4 tbsp. of peanuts, crushed

Lime wedges (optional)

Prep:

Cook brown rice according to package instructions if you're using it.
Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until tender in a very large pot. (4-5 minutes)

Add tomatoes, tomato paste, peanut butter, vegetable broth, cayenne, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.

Next add chickpeas, yams, potatoes, jalapeños and tofu. Bring to a simmer and cook covered for about 30 minutes (until the yams are tender).

Everything I read said it was important to stir every five minutes or so because the peanut butter might stick to the bottom and burn. I didn't notice that to be an issue, but all stoves are different, so check on it anyway and give it a stir.

Add spinach in the last 5 minutes-ish, it just needs to wilt, not cook to death.

Cabbage I added at the last minute

Once done cooking, let sit covered for 10 minutes.
Serve over brown rice or with warm, fresh pita, with a sprinkle of peanuts and lime wedges if you're using them. The lime wedges, although optional, are very highly recommended. Squeeze the lime juice over the stew for a flavor party in your mouth!

Like I said, this recipe is the shizz. Better than Baobab! Yeah, I said it. Enjoy! 

*I made this again last night and forgot to get a fresh jalapeño, so I used the jarred kind. Fresh is best for sure, but it worked. Also, I didn't have a ton of spinach so I threw in some cabbage. Now, that was good! AND, I threw some organic, unsweetened coconut into the rice which gave it a nice flavor too! YUM!!