Zanzibar!!

The Island of Zanzibar!
  

A magical, breathtaking place! Bluer than blue waters, powdery white beaches, palmtree forests, coffee plantations, and mangroves. Wander through the maze that is Stowntown, or just spend days on the outstretched beaches in the north. It is nothing less than paradise on earth! 

The island of spices!!! What a culinary experience!
One thing I can highly recommend is going on a spice tour of one of the Spice farms on Zanzibar! It is absolutely fascinating to see how all these old trustworthy friends in my spicerack are grown, and how magnificent they taste and smell when fresh! Heaven! 

On the spice tour we also got to try some weird and wonderful fruit. The Jackfruit is a huge funky looking fruit covered in spikes. It tastes like a mix between a banana and pineapple, with a strange jelly-like texture. I'm sure it would be great in smoothies.

We got to eat fresh tangy starfruit, had the best pineapple I have ever tasted, and drank wonderful fresh coconut milk. Coconuts that were handpicked by a crazy palmtree-climbing-singing man!

 


Annatto sead. The fruit responsible for the beautiful colour of Tandoori!



Nutmeg!

 

Fresh Turmeric.





 One thing you absolutely have to do when in Zanzibar is go for dinner at the Dockside food market in the magical Stonetown. It's in the square in front of the House of Wonders, and there are so many cheap and interesting snacks to try. From lobstermeat kebabs, to clams on a stick, and deep-fried cassava (a sweetpotato-like vegetable), any kind of fresh fish you can imagine, fishcakes, chapatti and spicy meatballs! A sensory overload!



Dockside market, Stowntown.


My personal favourite was the octopus legs. Huge pieces of octopus, cooked until tender, but then placed on the fire grill again when ordered. I asked for extra lemon and pili-pili (chilli), and it was divine.

Have a freshly squeezed sugarcane juice! It is the most refreshing sensation you can experience after those spicy dishes!  They take fresh sugarcane sticks, and work it through a manual press, squeezing out all those sugary juices. Where the refreshing part comes in, is the fresh lime and ginger that they send through the press at the same time! Wow! Ask for extra ginger…mmmm nice!!

But now, the one thing you have to try when you're there, that is very famous and unique to Zanzibar, is the Zanzibar pizza. Maybe better described as a type of burrito or chimi-changa, Mexican style but with a twist. It is a lovely alternative to an oven baked pizza, and easy to make at home!

 

 

So here’s how to do it: 
 
Hakuna Matata Pizza

•    Mix flour, salt, oil and lukewarm water. The same as pizza dough but without the yeast. About 3 cups of all purpose flour, one cup of lukewarm water, half a tablespoon of salt and two tablespoons of olive oil. Knead into dough. Add more flour if needed.
•    Divide them into golfball sized balls.
•    Take half of your doughballs and role them out thinly like chapattis/wraps. Fry them in a pan with oil until browning lightly and cooked.  Place the other half of your doughballs under a wet cloth to stay damp.
 For the tipical meat pizza:•    Take one of the cooked chapattis and place in the middle of it:
o    Two tablespoon of cooked mincemeat,
o    tablespoon of mixed diced red onions and greenpeppers,
o    tablespoon of mayonnaise.
o   pili-pili(chilli sauce) and salt and pepper to taste.•    Mix these ingredients together with a teaspoon and make a small hollow in the middle. Now break an egg into the middle and mix it through the ingredients. This is to bind it all together.
•    Place a triangle of soft goatsmilk cheese on top (soft mozzarella, cottage cheese, camembert or brie will also do).
•    Take one of your damp doughballs and role it out, bigger then the previous chapattis. Now place your cooked chapatti with ingredients, on top of the raw chapatti. (This is so that the chapatti won’t tear while cooking).
•    Now fold the chapatti/pizza closed into a square shape.
•    Place the pizza parcel in a wok with hot oil and fry until golden brown on both sides!

Hakuna Matata… Nummy pizza!
They also do a banana/mango and chocolate pizza for desert!

There is obviously so much more this Island has to offer, but these were my favorites and I truthfully hope that you enjoyed this Zanzibar taste experience with me!

Peace and love oxoxox