Food in Tanzania: These 5 dishes you have to know

You want to know more about the food in Tanzania? Then this article is for you! The traditions in the interior of Tanzania, the Swahili Coast and the island of Zanzibar are worlds apart. Not only are there huge differences in religion and language, but also the cuisine is characterized by an incomparable diversity. 

While inland mostly heavy African dishes, such as grilled meat, vegetables, rice, plantains or stews, are on the plate, the coastal regions and the island of Zanzibar offer many oriental influences and a rich variety of fresh fish and seafood. Zanzibar Island's location on the edge of the Indian Ocean has always attracted traders and visitors from all over the world. And so received the glass noodles from China, Indian spices* and Arabic sweets also found their way into Tanzania's food culture.

Ugali: Corn porridge

In traditional cuisine, hardly any dish can do without ugali. This is a Corn porridge*, for the preparation of which corn kernels are pounded with a mortar with salt and a little water. Then the mixture is cooked for about half an hour until it becomes a viscous porridge. Ugali it can be served with almost any food: Sauces, stews or together with fish or meat. 

A must for an authentic culinary experience: eat with your hands! It takes some practice to form bite-sized pieces of ugali with your fingers and make a "pit-like" indentation with your thumb. With this you can then pick up sauce and garnishes like with a ladle and bring them to your mouth.

Ndizi na nyama: Stew with green bananas

Bananas grow magnificently around Kilimanjaro, which is why they are an indispensable part of the menu. A stew is cooked from still unripe, i.e. green bananas, beef, tomatoes, garlic and onion, which is additionally refined with spices such as cumin, turmeric, cinnamon and coconut milk. Before eating, fresh coriander is sprinkled over the stew and usually served with ugali (boiled corn porridge).

Pilau ya nyama ya ng ombe: Oriental rice with beef

The rice dish actually originated in the Orient and eventually reached Tanzania through the traders who docked their ships on the Swahili coast, where it is now considered a festive dish. In the Swahili version, pilau is cooked with many spices, such as bell pepper, paprika, cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. Vegetables such as peas, carrots and potatoes are also included, along with rice and coconut milk. Kachumbari, a salad of tomatoes, onions and lime juice, is a popular side dish.

Maandazi: doughnuts

They resemble doughnuts and are often decorated with Chai* served for breakfast, but are also a very popular street food and available at many street stalls, as a perfect snack for in between. A dough made from flour, Coconut milk*, flour, egg and yeast is fried in the process. They get their typical flavor from their light cardamom and turmeric notes. Here you will find a simple Maandazi recipe.

Chapati: Flatbread

With a chai for breakfast or as a side dish to a stew - chapati is a thin flatbread made of flour, water and oil that originated in India but is now an integral part of Tanzania. 

Ready to try the food in Tanzania?

There are many more delicious dishes to discover, as the traditional cuisine of Tanzania is worth a trip in itself. The culinary delights can of course be perfectly complemented by breathtaking adventures, such as a safari tour or exploring the dream beaches of the island of Zanzibar - curious? Then take a look at our Tanzania trip on!

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