The following highlights some of the popular Traditional Tanzanian Foods. If you manage to be in an Tanzanian restaurant or you are visiting Tanzania, I recommend the following
1. Vitumbua
It is a street food, a fried dish usually served at breakfast, especially with tea. It is made from rice, coconut, sugar, yeast and aromatic spices. Vitumbuas is airy, full of flavor and very tasty.
2. Wali Wa Nazi
It refers to a fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk and water and seasoned simply with salt. In a sense, you can think of it as the East African version of Malaysia’s nasi lemak. Wali wa nazi is served as an accompaniment to various curries and stews and is equally popular in the cuisines of neighboring countries such as Kenya and Uganda.
3. Manndazi
It is a sweet bread, very popular in Tanzania, which is usually eaten at snack time with coffee or tea. A dough is made with wheat flour, eggs, milk and sugar. The dough is left to rest and then cut into different shapes, such as rectangles, triangles or spheres. Then they are fried in abundant oil until they are crispy and golden brown and sprinkled with sugar.
4. Chapatti
They are cake-shaped and stand out from conventional preparations because they are prepared with corn flour. It can be enjoyed in many different ways, commonly at breakfast, as a compliment at lunch, as a snack with a cup of coffee or tea, and even for a very light and delicious dinner.
5. Mchuzi wa samaki
Mchuzi wa samaki is a popular stew in Tanzanian cuisine. Depending on the region, it can be made with different types of fish. Apart from fish, other ingredients include tomatoes, onions, green peppers, carrots and coconut. Some Tanzanian cooks may also add curry powder and lemon juice to further enhance the flavor of the dishes.
6. Mishkaki
It is made with marinated beef. Ginger, lemon and hot peppers are used to spice the meat which is skewered and grilled over charcoal. Mshikaki is often eaten as a snack, usually with baked potatoes in a pairing commonly known as mshikaki chips. It can also be enjoyed with smoked or grilled plantain and fried cassava.
7. Ndizi Kaanga
It refers to bananas, which is a favorite traditional Tanzanian food. Ndizi is a versatile ingredient that can be used to prepare many Tanzanian dishes. The ‘ndizi kaanga’ is nothing more than fried plantains.
8. Supu ya ndizi
It is a Tanzanian soup made with mashed green plantains and chicken broth. This vibrant and delicious dish is known in English as ‘Banana Soup’. Usually salt and pepper are used as seasoning. This dish is delicious and is often served at breakfast time.
9. Pilau
Pilau can be made as a simple vegetable dish or can be combined with beef, lamb or chicken to produce a complete one-pot meal. Also with different fish, especially in coastal areas.
10. Ugali
It is perhaps the most typical dish of Tanzania. It is made with maize flour, although in some cases it is also made with cassava flour or both mixed. It is a preparation that is enjoyed as a complement to the main dishes. It is served to taste different sauces, vegetable dishes or even fish. It is usually served in the corner of the plates in a semicircular shape and is taken with the help of the cutlery to accompany the rest of the food.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional African Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.