Zanzibari Cuisine

When I studied abroad in Tanzania and Zanzibar, I lived with multiple homestay families in both urban and rural settings. I had the opportunity to learn to cook several Zanzibari dishes that were typically served in the households! I learned how to make pilau (rice cooked with a mixture of seasoning, vegetables, potatoes and meat), ndizi na mafuta (sweet fried bananas), mandazi (coconut donuts) and passion fruit juice. Unfortunately, I do not currently have the recipes with me, but I do have pictures!

Here's what my typical day looks like through Zanzibari cuisines:

Breakfast - Chakula Cha Asubuhi:

1. Chips and Eggs - Chipsi Mayai 

2. Passion Fruit Juice

3. Coconut Donuts and Flat Bread - Mandazi and Chapati
4. Milk Tea - Chai ya Maziwa

Lunch - Chakula Cha Mchana:

Chapati World
We never found out the name of this food deli, but we called it Chapati World. We went to this local deli quite frequently to purchase cheap and traditional Zanzibari food for lunch. They sold a variety of food including: mandazi (coconut donut), chapati (flat bread), samosas, kachori (spicy potato balls), katlesi za samaki (fish cutlets) and others.

  

Kachori

Mandazi

Chapati

 

Dinner - Chakula Cha Jioni:

Pilau

In Zanzibar, they are known for cooking pilau with spices such as cardamon, cinnamon sticks, cumin, pepper corns and cloves.

Forodhani Garden Night Market

Often, after dinner we would still go out to this night market barbeque for more food. It is always very busy with locals and tourists and rows and rows of food vendors ready to cook the raw food you to choose to purchase! 

  

Desserts

Sweet Fried Bananas - Ndizi na Mafuta

 Fruits - Matunda 

We ate a variety of fruits including: mangoes, bananas, watermelons, coconuts, passion fruits, papaya, lime, orange grapefruit and more!