A FOOD TRADITION
Zanzibari Swahili Cuisine
A Swahili island tradition shaped by Indian Ocean trade and built around rice, coconut, seafood, spices, legumes, and fried breads and sweets.
Dishes linked to this cuisine
1–12 of 22
Chapati
Chapati is an unleavened wheat flatbread rolled thin, layered with oil, and cooked on a hot griddle.
Halua ya Zanzibar
Halua ya Zanzibar is a dense, glossy Zanzibar sweet made by cooking sugar and starch with ghee and cardamom, often finished with cashews.
Kaimati
Kaimati are sweet, cardamom-scented yeast-raised wheat dough balls that are deep-fried and commonly coated with syrup or sugar.
Kashata
Kashata is a firm, sweet Comorian confection made by cooking sugar with peanuts and desiccated coconut, often flavored with cardamom.
Katlesi
Katlesi are Kenyan coastal spiced potato and minced-beef cutlets bound with egg, coated with flour, and fried.
Kuku wa Kupaka
Kuku wa Kupaka is grilled or roasted chicken served with a rich, spiced coconut sauce.
Mahamri
Mahamri is a Kenyan Swahili coastal sweet, lightly spiced coconut-milk doughnut or fried bread commonly served for breakfast or as a snack.
Maharage ya Nazi
Maharage ya Nazi is beans cooked in a coconut-milk sauce with onion, tomato, garlic, and seasoning.
Mandazi
Mandazi are lightly sweetened East African fried dough pastries made with flour and aromatic spices.
Mbaazi za Nazi
Mbaazi za Nazi is a Kenyan Swahili coastal preparation of pigeon peas cooked in a savory coconut-milk sauce with aromatics and tomatoes.
Mkate wa Sinia
A sweet, fermented Swahili coastal rice cake baked in a tray with coconut milk, sugar, cardamom, yeast, and often egg.
Muhogo wa Nazi
Muhogo wa Nazi is cassava cooked until tender in a savory coconut-milk sauce and served as a Zanzibar-Swahili staple or side dish.
Catalogue preview Cuisine connections may be unreviewed. Regional comparisons include their food references and do not establish the ingredients of a particular meal.