| tr> | | | | Samaki wakupaka: One of many dishes using coconut |
| When on safari in Tanzania, or climbing Kilimanjaro or | | | | milk. This is fish coated in coconut milk — this |
| simply relaxing on the tropical coast or Zanzibar Island | | | | is a coastal or Zanzibarian dish. Also Kuku wakupaka |
| what is the local food like? Bellow are a few of the | | | | which is chicken coated in coconut sauce |
| local dishes you may find. | | | | Marahagwe: dried beans boiled in a tomato sauce. |
| Chips-my-eye [Chips ] is a traditional dish here in | | | | Tastes very nice when coconut milk is added during |
| Tanzania. It is egg and chips — but not your | | | | cooking. Many dishes add coconut milk or peanut flour |
| north of England two fried eggs and a side order of | | | | to make the food taste richer. |
| chips — no — it is a chip omelet. Chips | | | | Matoki: or green cooking bananas or plantain. There |
| are placed into a shallow frying pan and then as they | | | | are many varieties of bananas; in fact north of |
| sizzle away two beaten eggs are pored over the | | | | Arusha town there is a cultural walk, which winds |
| top, this is then cooked into a solid omelet stuffed | | | | through several banana plantations with over thirty |
| with chips and very nice it is too. It is not so healthy | | | | varieties of banana! The Matoki variety comes from |
| but give it a try when you visit Tanzania it is nicer | | | | Uganda and is often served mashed. It is softer and |
| than it sounds. | | | | more yellow than most variants. In my opinion also |
| Katchubari: a traditional salad sliced tomato and onion | | | | the best. |
| [sometimes cabbage or cucumber may be added] | | | | Ugali: this has many names throughout Africa and |
| with lime juice and a little crushed bell pepper to give | | | | here in East Africa it is Ugali. This is maze flour |
| it a kick. The bell peppers are called pilipili mbuzi in | | | | cooked with water into a stiff porridge — a |
| Swahili, which is a translated goat pepper. | | | | little thicker than mashed potatoes. This is staple diet |
| Japati: or elsewhere roti. These are eaten with | | | | for many Tanzanian’s. It is eaten with your |
| coffee or tea for breakfast and sometimes they | | | | right hand and squashed into a ball and then eaten |
| accompany main meals. Tanzanian cooking can | | | | with food [Especially nice with Mchicha — see |
| unadventurous and not very appealing to a | | | | bellow] with foods cooked in a sauce once you have |
| westerner but luckily, over the last few centuries the | | | | your ball of Ugali the thumb is pushed into the center |
| Indian influence [especially on the Swahili coast] has | | | | of the ball to form a spoon with which you can |
| introduced some wonderful dishes. There is a place | | | | scoop up your food. |
| on the north coast of Dar es Salaam that makes a | | | | Mchicha: this is a local spinach there are many many |
| wonderful Japati stuffed with fresh tuna and a little | | | | verities of spinach available in Tanzania. Some of |
| green pepper and spiced with local garlic and fresh | | | | them require a little longer to cook that the western |
| ginger. | | | | varieties but they all have an excellent taste from |
| Chai tangaweizi: This is a milky tea spiced with ginger; | | | | the very bitter to sweet. Mchicha is one of the most |
| the milk, ginger and local tea leaves being boiled | | | | popular spinaches and has small oval leaves and thin |
| together in one pan. Give it a try it is very good and | | | | stems very good with Ugali. |
| is best sweetened. There are many variations of | | | | Most hotels are now serving a selection of traditional |
| spiced tea, as spices are readily available and not | | | | dishes. However, if you find yourself on the coast or |
| expensive thanks to Zanzibar and Pemba Islands. | | | | in Zanzibar — speak to the local people and |
| Black tea is great in the hot afternoons when spiced | | | | see where they eat. |
| with local spices or lemon grass. | | | | |