The Canon

Ragout d'Igname

Ragoût d'ignamefr

Also: Yam stew, Igname en sauce

A West African stew of yam chunks slow-braised with tomatoes and onions in a peanut-thickened sauce until the yam turns tender and the gravy is rich.

Identity criteria

  1. 1Built on substantial chunks of true yam (igname), not sweet potato or cassava
  2. 2Tomato-and-onion base forming a savory red sauce
  3. 3Thickened and enriched with groundnut (peanut) paste
  4. 4Slow-braised so the yam absorbs the sauce and softens
  5. 5Served as a hearty one-pot main, often with rice or alone

Components

Base

Yam (igname)essentialThe defining starch; cut into chunks

Protein

Smoked fish, meat, or chickenoptionalCommon additions but optional

Aromatics

OnionessentialFoundation of the sauce

Fat

Palm or vegetable oiloptionalCarries the aromatics

Acid

TomatoessentialGives the braise its body and color

Binder

Groundnut (peanut) pasteessentialThickens and enriches the sauce

Seasoning

Chili, garlic, ginger, stock cubeoptionalLocal heat and depth

Technique

Slow braising of yam in sauce
Lets the dense yam cook through and soak up the flavored gravy
Building a tomato-onion base
Forms the savory red foundation typical of Sahelian stews
Tempering peanut paste into the liquid
Thickens the sauce smoothly without splitting

Form & serving

Served
In a bowl as a thick stew, on its own or over rice
Temperature
hot
Portion
main
Pairs with
Steamed rice · Bread · Smoked fish · Leafy greens

Character

Flavour

savorynuttyearthymildly spicy

Texture

tender starchy yam chunks in a thick, creamy peanut gravy

Eaten

An everyday family one-pot main across Burkina Faso and neighboring Sahel countries, valued for being filling and affordable.

When

year-round

Variations & related

Regional variations

  • With smoked fish · Burkina Faso

    Adds smoky protein depth to the peanut sauce

  • Meat ragout · Sahel region

    Beef or goat braised alongside the yam

Related dishes

  • sibling Groundnut soup / mafe

    Shares the peanut-sauce backbone

  • pairs-with Steamed rice

    Common starch accompaniment

Substitutions

  • True yam (igname) → Plantain or cassavaadmissible

    Changes texture and is a different dish, though plausible in a pinch

  • True yam (igname) → Sweet potatoinadmissible

    Sweet potato is a different plant; it makes the stew sweet and is not igname

  • Groundnut paste → No nut thickenerinadmissible

    Removes the characteristic richness and body of the sauce

Common mistakes

  • Using sweet potato instead of true yam
  • Adding peanut paste too early or too hot so the sauce splits
  • Cutting yam too small so it disintegrates
  • Underseasoning the tomato base
  • Letting the sauce go too thin instead of a rich braise

Provenance

A staple home stew of Burkina Faso and the wider yam-and-groundnut belt of West Africa, where yams and peanuts are foundational crops.

Claimed by: Burkina Faso

References

  1. 1.Burkinabè and West African home cookery
  2. 2.Sahelian peanut-stew tradition

Confidence: medium