| Tanzanians usually eat two main meals a day. It
is common practice to pass a bowl of water for washing hands before and
after the meal. A dish known as ugali, made from cassava, corn,
sorghum or millet flour, is very common. It is often accompanied by a fish
stew, vegetables or meat. People who live on the coast often prefer rice
to ugali. A popular main dish is pilau, cinnamon-flavoured rice.
Tanzanians make home-brewed beer from a variety
of ingredients. One beer, mbege, is made from bananas and millet
and is very popular among the Chagga people. Konyagi, a strong liquor,
is available in pubs. People drink tea throughout the day, especially when
visiting or socializing. |
 |
| Tanzanians' tastes in food vary a great deal,
but they are generally fond of goat, chicken, beef and lamb. Barbecued
meat called mishikaki is very popular and is often eaten at restaurants
and pubs. Plantains (cooking bananas) are common in the northern part of
the country, the southern highlands and the region surrounding Lake Victoria.
On the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba, people enjoy Swahili dishes, such
as seafood seasoned with coconut milk and spices. |
|
Did you know? |
| In
Zanzibar it is customary to give cloves to guests when they arrive. These
cloves are meant to be chewed before dinner. |
|
|
| Sweet fried breads called maandazi are
served with tea or as a snack in between meals. Other common snacks are
sugar cane, samosas, chapattis and peanuts. Desserts include banana custard
and fresh fruits.
Each cultural and religious group in Tanzania
has its own eating customs. Some women do not eat any eggs or chicken.
In some tribes, it is forbidden for a father-in-law to eat at the same
table as his daughter-in-law. In others, the men in the family are not
allowed to enter the kitchen. In some Muslim households, men and women
do not eat together. |
 |
|
Coconut Bean Soup |
| Ingredients
125 ml
chopped onion
3 tsp. margarine
or butter, melted
125 ml chopped
green pepper
1 tsp. curry
powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
250 ml chopped
tomato
625 ml canned
kidney beans
500 ml coconut
milk
750 ml water
125 ml cooked
rice
Preparation
Sauté
the onions in the butter. Add the green peppers and season with curry powder,
salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 2 minutes. Add kidney
beans, coconut milk and water to the mixture and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the rice and simmer for another 5 minutes. Season to taste. |
|
|
|
Did you know? |
| The
traditional Masai diet consisted of six foods: meat, milk, animal blood,
animal fat, tree bark, and honey. Today, however, the Masai are adding
foods such as grains to their diet. |
|
|