Mamba: The Spicy Peanut Butter Inspired by Haitian Tradition

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m an absolute peanut butter fiend. Crunchy or smooth, natural or American-style, I’ll eat anything. But I’ve discovered a new kind of spicy peanut butter than may be my new favourite.

This spicy peanut butter is called Mamba (the Creole word for peanut butter) and it’s a staple food on the Caribbean island of Haiti. To put it simply, it’s peanut butter infused with chilli. What’s not to love?

And just a reminder — this isn’t a spin on American-style peanut butter. This is a recipe that was developed independently by the Haitians as the peanut spread from the “New World” to the Europeans who “discovered” it, as well as the people they enslaved.

I couldn’t find any of this for sale anywhere in the UK, so the only option I had was to make my own.

(By the way, Haiti is a country currently suffering from poverty an malnutrition. There’s a charity called Meds & Food For Kids who are currently using mamba to help fight this malnutrition in children. If you want to learn more, or support their work, read more here).

Mamba recipe

Ingredients

Makes: 1 average-sized jar

• 250g raw, shelled and unsalted peanuts
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp chilli powder (I use a mix of cayenne and Kashmiri, but any chilli powders will work)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp raw sugar or molasses (regular sugar is fine in a pinch)
• Salt

Directions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180^oC/350^oF (or 155^oC/310^oF if using convection).
2. On a large baking tray, lay out the peanuts with space between them so they roast properly. Garnish with a sprinkle of salt (to taste).
3. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until they turn a nice golden brown, but make sure not to fully cook them as they will continue cooking out of the oven.
4. Remove the tray from the oven, switch it off and leave the peanuts to cool.
5. Once cooled, add them to a blender¹. Pulse briefly until crumbly.
6. Meanwhile, we’ll bloom the chilli for more flavour. Melt the coconut oil in a stainless steel or cast-iron pan on medium heat. Once melted, add the chilli powder and paprika to the pan.
7. Take the pan off the heat immediately — chilli burns fast (ever had a coughing fit when cooking spices? This is probably why).
8. Pour that straight into the blender with a little more salt. Blend on high until the peanuts form a smooth paste².
9. Taste and add more sugar or salt as needed.
10. Store in a jar in the cupboard or fridge.

Notes

1. Some people use a food processor, but I’ve found the blender makes a creamier paste. Your experience may vary.
2. Some people add oil at this point to make it creamy, but I find if you blend it enough, you’ll get that creamy texture. Plus, we already added a little coconut oil. You may need to add oil, so don’t be shy if it looks a little dry. It will depend on the oil content of your peanuts.