om nom nom
I'm a Foodie. Take a look at my receipts, all my money goes into ingredients or eating out. Even the 'essentials' like soap I just bring back with me when I visit home. So one of the things I was looking forward to the most about my Zanzibari immersion was what I'd be eating.
I had hoped to take pics of food, but so far I haven't found a way to do this without being incredibly rude. In any case, uploading files takes hours here. Instead, I'll use this page to keep track of my favourite tastes and the more...er... interesting ones.
10 Street Eats for under 10 cents!
1) Whole Mangoes - with salt and chili to taste
2) Machungwa - oranges, peeled and halved - cures any sickness (except Malaria :| )
3) Makai - corn on the cob, rubbed down with lime, salt and chillies
4) Kahava and a Snack! - black coffee done right with a little nut bar
5) Madafu (20 cents, but so worth it) - a young coconut; you drink the water while the dude fashions a spoon from the bark, and then you scoop out the gooey pulp
6) Jugu - roasted peanuts rolled up in yesterday's math homework (for some reason it's always math)
7) Maji ya Muwa (or just Juisi) - sugarcane juice squeezed before you
8) Mishkaki - barbecue beef skewers. nuff said
9) (Chipsi za) Muhogo - grilled cassava (like a soft potato), also served with salt and chili. (Also in chip form)
10) Mkate Chilla - fried poofy bread made with coconut milk (its actually like an Aero bar, only not chocolate)
The Staples
Asubuhi (Morning): Tangawizi Chai na Mkate - Black tea with lots of ginger, with Bread for dipping
Mchana (Afternoon): Wali na Mchuzi - White Rice and some kind of Curry - usually with samaki (fish), but sometimes ng'ombe (beef); also served with a cabbage "salade" and occasionally boga (kale)
Usiku (Night): Tangawizi Chai, Mkate na Pili pili Pweza - Same as breakfast but with spicy fried Octopus!
Distinctly African
Indian "Fusion"
Zanzibari food definitely has an Indian twist to it. Here are some of my favourites so far:
- Beef Biryani - basmati rice with so too many spices to count - I actually have no idea what goes into this, but it tastes like heaven
- Dal Bhajia - lentils squished and fried for snacking and dipping into a spicy shredded coconut chutney (left)
- Zanzibari Kachori - potatoes, also squished and fried for snacking purposes (right)
Mkate Gani?
I need to compile a list of all the breads they make here. This may require a lot of eating...
Spice Island
Zanzibar has long been known as the Spice Island. The Omani Arabs made a fortune off of the clove trade way back in the day and the plantations have lived on. I've been jotting down every flavour I've smelt or tasted and their translations here:
Tangawizi - Ginger
Mfenesi - Jackfruit
Mdalasini - Cinnamon
Iliki/Mhiliki - Cardamom
Pilipili Manga - Black Pepper
Karafu/Carafuni - Cloves
Zangafori - Lipstick Fruit
Shelisheli - Bread Fruit
Kunga Manga - Nutmeg
Mchaichai - Lemongrass
Mlangilangi - Langlang Tree
Bizari Manjana - Turmeric Vanilla - Vanilla
Menthol*
Pea*- Avocado
Mangostine*
Duriani - Dorian
Carambola - Starfruit (Birimbi - Sour Starfruit)
Kiu mchuzi - ?
Cacao
Tufaa/Tofaa - Malay Apples
Staferi - Soursop
