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Zanzibar

Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous archipelago off Tanzania’s coast in the Indian Ocean, is famed for its spice trade history, turquoise waters, and Swahili culture. Its main islands, Unguja (often called Zanzibar Island) and Pemba, feature Stone Town, a UNESCO-listed historic center with winding alleys, coral stone buildings, and Arab, Indian, and European influences. Once a hub for cloves and a sultanate, Zanzibar now thrives on tourism and fishing, blending its rich past—marked by Omani rule and British colonialism—with a laid-back beach vibe.

Zanzibar

Featured Dishes from Zanzibar

Date nut bread

Date nut bread

Bread made with vanilla, dates, walnuts, hazelnuts

Ugali

Ugali

Ugali, also known as posho, nsima, papa, pap, sadza, isitshwala, akume, amawe, ewokple, akple, and other names, is a type of corn meal made from maize or corn flour in several African countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Botswana and South Africa, and in West Africa by the Ewes of Togo, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria and Cote D'Ivoire. It is cooked in boiling water or milk until it reaches a stiff or firm dough-like consistency. In 2017, the dish was added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, one of a few foods in the list. This dish is eaten widely across Africa, where it has different local names:

Uji

Uji

Fermented porridge made with cornmeal, millet, sorghum

Vitumbua

Vitumbua

Coconut rice pancakes

Ice cream

Ice cream

Ice cream is a frozen dessert typically made from milk or cream that has been flavoured with a sweetener, either sugar or an alternative, and a spice, such as cocoa or vanilla, or with fruit, such as strawberries or peaches. Food colouring is sometimes added in addition to stabilizers. The mixture is cooled below the freezing point of water and stirred to incorporate air spaces and prevent detectable ice crystals from forming. It can also be made by whisking a flavoured cream base and liquid nitrogen together. The result is a smooth, semi-solid foam that is solid at very low temperatures . It becomes more malleable as its temperature increases. Ice cream may be served in dishes, eaten with a spoon, or licked from edible wafer ice cream cones held by the hands as finger food. Ice cream may be served with other desserts—such as cake or pie—or used as an ingredient in cold dishes—like ice cream floats, sundaes, milkshakes, and ice cream cakes—or in baked items such as Baked Alaska.

Kaimati

Kaimati

Fried dough balls soaked in sugar syrup, serve with tea, coffee

Mandazi

Mandazi

Mandazi is a form of fried bread that originated on the Swahili coast. It is also known as bofrot or puff puff in Western African countries such as Ghana and Nigeria. It is one of the principal dishes in the cuisine of the Swahili people who inhabit the Coastal Region of Kenya and Tanzania. The dish is popular in the region, as it is convenient to make, can be eaten with almost any food or dips or just as a snack by itself, and can be saved and reheated for later consumption. Mandazi are similar to doughnuts, having more of a sweet taste which can be differentiated with the addition of different ingredients. However, they are typically less sweet than the United States style of doughnuts and are usually served without any glazing or frosting. They are frequently made triangular in shape (similar to samosas), but are also commonly shaped as circles or ovals. When cooked, they have a fluffy texture. Mandazi are made by briefly cooking the dough in cooking oil. The ingredients typically used to make mandazi include water, sugar, flour, yeast, and milk. Coconut milk is also commonly added for sweetness. When coconut milk is added, mandazi are commonly referred to as mahamri or mamri. Ground peanuts and almonds, among other ingredients, can also be used to add a different flavor. After being cooked, they can be eaten warm or left to cool down. They are popular in the African Great Lakes region, as they can be eaten in accompaniment with many things. They are commonly made in the morning or the night before, eaten with breakfast, then re-heated in the evening for dinner. Mandazi are also commonly eaten with tea or fresh fruit juice, or are eaten as snacks by themselves. Different dips, often fruit flavored, can be used to add various tastes. Mandazi can also be eaten as a dessert after a meal where it is often served with powdered or cinnamon sugar to add sweetness.

Mkate wa sinia

Mkate wa sinia

Coconut rice cake with cardamom and vanilla

Ndizi na kastad

Ndizi na kastad

Bananas in sweet custard, topped with nutmeg and cinnamon, may also be made with oranges or pineapples

Spice cake

Spice cake

Spice cake is a type of cake that is traditionally flavored with a mixture of spices. The cake can be prepared in many varieties. Predominant flavorings include spices such as cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg. In Medieval cuisine, a spice cake, also called spice bread, was a flavorful, sweetened yeast bread. They were typically sweetened with honey, as sugar was largely unavailable in Europe until the 1600s, and cooked over an open fire. By the 17th century, spice cake was something similar to the modern raisin bread, usually having spices, sugar, dried fruit, eggs, and butter in the yeast dough. The sizes ranged from individual buns to ordinary loaves to the great cake, which was a very large cake, sometimes weighing more than 50 pounds that was baked for holidays and important celebrations. (Because these cakes often included both dried fruit and spices, most of them can also be classified as fruit cakes.) With the development of the sugar trade, spice cakes were still popular, and were coated in white icing on special occasions. French chefs hired by Charles II of England in the mid-1600s baked elaborate spice cakes coated in white icing. This decoration style became popular for wedding cakes, and having a white coating over a darker cake was the first meaning of a white cake.

Tambi

Tambi

Sweet vermicelli noodles with raisins, coconut milk, cardamom, vanilla, serve with tea

Vileja

Vileja

A cookie or biscuit (British English) is a baked snack or dessert that is typically small, flat, and sweet. It usually contains flour, sugar, egg, and some type of oil, fat, or butter. It may include other ingredients such as raisins, oats, chocolate chips, or nuts. Most English-speaking countries call crunchy cookies "biscuits", except for the United States and Canada, where "biscuit" refers to a type of quick bread. Chewier biscuits are sometimes called "cookies,” even in the Commonwealth. Some cookies may also be named by their shape, such as date squares or bars.

Arabic coffee

Arabic coffee

Arabic coffee, also called Qahwa , is a version of the brewed coffee of Coffea arabica beans. Most Arab countries throughout the Middle East have developed distinct methods for brewing and preparing coffee. Cardamom is an often-added spice, but it can alternatively be served plain or with sugar. There are several different styles to brewing the coffee depending on the preference of the drinker. Some methods keep the coffee light whereas others can make it dark. Arabic coffee is bitter, and typically no sugar is added. It is usually served in a small cup that is adorned with a decorative pattern, known as a finjān. Culturally, Arabic coffee is served during family gatherings or when receiving guests. Arabic coffee originated in South Arabia, beginning in the port city of Mokha in Yemen and eventually travelling to Mecca in Hejaz, Egypt, the Levant, and then, in the mid-16th century, to Turkey and from there to Europe where coffee eventually became popular as well. Arabic coffee is an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Arab states confirmed by UNESCO. Every year on March 3, Yemenis celebrate the "Yemeni Coffee Day," a national festival to encourage coffee cultivation.

Coffee

Coffee

Coffee is a beverage brewed from roasted, ground coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content, but decaffeinated coffee is also commercially available. There are also various coffee substitutes. Typically served hot, coffee has the highest sales in the world market for hot drinks. Coffee production begins when the seeds from coffee cherries are separated to produce unroasted green coffee beans. The "beans" are roasted and then ground into fine particles. Coffee is brewed from the ground roasted beans, which are typically steeped in hot water before being filtered out. It is usually served hot, although chilled or iced coffee is common. Coffee can be prepared and presented in a variety of ways (e.g., espresso, French press, caffè latte, or already-brewed canned coffee). Sugar, sugar substitutes, milk, and cream are often added to mask the bitter taste or enhance the flavor.

Fruit juice

Fruit juice

Juice is a drink made from the extraction or pressing of the natural liquid contained in fruit and vegetables. It can also refer to liquids that are flavored with concentrate or other biological food sources, such as meat or seafood, such as clam juice. Juice is commonly consumed as a beverage or used as an ingredient or flavoring in foods or other beverages, such as smoothies. Juice emerged as a popular beverage choice after the development of pasteurization methods enabled its preservation without using fermentation . The largest fruit juice consumers are New Zealand (nearly a cup, or 8 ounces, each day) and Colombia (more than three quarters of a cup each day). Fruit juice consumption on average increases with a country's income level.

Madafu

Madafu

Coconut water is the clear liquid inside young coconuts (fruits of the coconut palm). In early development, it serves as a suspension for the endosperm of the coconut during the nuclear phase of development. As development continues, the endosperm matures into its cellular phase and deposits into the rind of the coconut pulp. The liquid inside young coconuts is sometimes preferred to the liquid of a ripened coconut. Coconut water from young green coconuts is also known specifically as buko juice in Philippine English. Fresh coconuts are typically harvested from the tree while they are green. A hole may be bored into the coconut to provide access to the "meat" (liquid and pulp). In young coconuts, the liquid and air may be under some pressure and may spray slightly when the inner husk is first penetrated. Coconuts that have fallen to the ground are susceptible to rot and damage from insects or other animals.

Sugarcane juice

Sugarcane juice

Sugarcane juice is the liquid extracted from pressed sugarcane. It is consumed as a beverage in many places, especially where sugarcane is commercially grown, such as Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, North Africa, mainly Egypt, and also in South America, especially Brazil. Sugarcane juice is obtained by crushing peeled sugarcane in a mill and is one of the main precursors of rum. In the United States, where processed sugarcane syrup is used as a sweetener in food and beverage manufacturing, "evaporated cane juice" is considered by the Food and Drug Administration to be a misleading term for "sugar" on product labels because the FDA regards "juice" as a liquid derived from fruits or vegetables; the preferred term is "cane sugar". There are some diseases that can be transmitted by raw sugarcane, such as leptospirosis. In Brazil, sugarcane juice has been linked to cases of Chagas disease, as sugarcane can contain traces of its responsible pathogen, Trypanosoma cruzi, left by infected insects if not properly cleaned.

Tamarind juice

Tamarind juice

Tamarind is a leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is indigenous to tropical Africa and naturalized in Asia. The genus Tamarindus is monotypic, meaning that it contains only this species. It belongs to the family Fabaceae. The tamarind tree produces brown, pod-like fruits that contain a sweet, tangy pulp, which is used in cuisines around the world. The pulp is also used in traditional medicine and as a metal polish. The tree's wood can be used for woodworking and tamarind seed oil can be extracted from the seeds. Tamarind's tender young leaves are used in South Indian and Filipino cuisine. Because tamarind has multiple uses, it is cultivated around the world in tropical and subtropical zones.

Tea

Tea

Tea with spices, ginger

Barracuda

Barracuda

A barracuda is a large, predatory, ray-finned, saltwater fish of the genus Sphyraena, the only genus in the family Sphyraenidae, which was named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque in 1815. It is found in tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide ranging from the eastern border of the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea, on its western border the Caribbean Sea, and in tropical areas of the Pacific Ocean. Barracudas reside near the top of the water and near coral reefs and sea grasses. Barracudas are often targeted by sport-fishing enthusiasts. The common name "barracuda" is derived from Spanish, with the original word being of possibly Cariban origin.

Biryani

Biryani

Biryani is a mixed rice dish popular in South Asia, made with rice, meat (chicken, goat, lamb, beef) or seafood (prawns or fish), and spices. To cater to vegetarians, the meat or seafood can be substituted with vegetables or paneer. Sometimes eggs or potatoes are also added. Biryani is one of the most popular dishes among the South Asian diaspora, although the dish is often associated with the region's Muslim population in particular. Similar dishes are also prepared in Iran, Iraq, Myanmar, Thailand, and Malaysia. Biryani is the single most-ordered dish on Indian online food ordering and delivery services, and has been labelled as the most popular dish overall in India.

Chorba

Chorba

Chorba [a] or shorba (/ˈʃɔːrbə/ SHOR-bə; Azerbaijani: [ʃoɾˈbɑ])[b] is a broad class of stews or rich soups found in national cuisines across the Middle East, Maghreb, Iran, Turkey, Southeast Europe, Central Asia, East Africa and South Asia. It is often prepared with added ingredients but is also served alone as a broth or with bread. The word chorba in English and in many Balkan languages is a loan from the Ottoman Turkish چوربا çorba, which itself is a loan from Persian شوربا šōrbā. The spelling shorba could be a direct loan into English from Persian or through a Central or South Asian intermediary. The word is ultimately a compound of شور šōr meaning 'salty, brackish' and با bā meaning 'stew, gruel, spoon-meat'. The former is from Parthian ??? šōr meaning 'salty', and the latter from Middle Persian *-bāg meaning 'gruel, spoon-meat'.

Coconut bean soup

Coconut bean soup

Tanzanian coconut bean soup typically includes ingredients like black-eyed peas or kidney beans, coconut milk, tomatoes, and a blend of spices such as curry powder. It's a flavorful and nutritious dish that can be served with rice for a hearty meal.

Coconut curry

Coconut curry

Curry with coconut and meat, chicken, fish, seafood, goat, vegetables, plantains

Curry

Curry

Curry is a dish with a sauce or gravy seasoned with spices, mainly derived from the interchange of Indian cuisine with European taste in food, starting with the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch and British, and then thoroughly internationalised. Many dishes that would be described as curries in English are found in the native cuisines of countries in Southeast Asia and East Asia. The English word is derived indirectly from some combination of Dravidian words such as the Tamil kaṟi meaning 'sauce' or 'relish for rice'.

Fish

Fish

Many species of fish are caught by humans and consumed as food in virtually all regions around the world. Fish has been an important dietary source of protein and other nutrients. The English language does not have a special culinary name for food prepared from fish like with other animals , or as in other languages (such as Spanish pez vs. pescado). In culinary and fishery contexts, fish may include so-called shellfish such as molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms; more expansively, seafood covers both fish and other marine life used as food. Since 1961, the average annual increase in global apparent food fish consumption (3.2 percent) has outpaced population growth (1.6 percent) and exceeded consumption of meat from all terrestrial animals, combined (2.8 percent) and individually (bovine, ovine, porcine, etc.), except poultry (4.9 percent). In per capita terms, food fish consumption has grown from 9.0 kg (19.8 lb) in 1961 to 20.2 kg (45 lb) in 2015, at an average rate of about 1.5 percent per year. The expansion in consumption has been driven not only by increased production, but also by a combination of many other factors, including reduced wastage, better utilization, improved distribution channels and growing consumer demand, linked with population growth, rising disposable incomes and urbanization.

Fishcake

Fishcake

A fishcake is a culinary dish consisting of filleted fish or other seafood minced or ground, mixed with a starchy ingredient, and fried until golden. Asian-style fishcakes usually contain fish with salt, water, starch, and egg. They can include a combination of fish paste and surimi. European-style fishcakes are similar to a croquette, consisting of filleted fish or other seafood with potato patty, sometimes coated in breadcrumbs or batter. Fishcakes as defined in the Oxford Dictionary of Food and Nutrition are chopped or minced fish mixed with potato, egg and flour with seasonings of onions, peppers and sometimes herbs.

Harees

Harees

Harees , boko boko, or harisa (Armenian: հարիսա, romanized: harisa) is a dish of boiled, cracked, or coarsely-ground cracked wheat or bulgur, mixed with meat and seasoned. Its consistency varies between a porridge and a gruel. Harees is a popular dish known throughout Armenia where it is served on Easter day, and the Arab world, where it is commonly eaten in Arab states of the Persian Gulf in the month of Ramadan, and in Iraq, Lebanon and Bahrain during Ashura by Shia Muslims. "Harisa", also transliterated as "horisa", derived from the Arabic verb "haras" meaning "to squish" to describe the action of breaking and pounding the grains before mixing it with water to create a porridge.

King mackerel

King mackerel

The king mackerel surmayi or kingfish, is a migratory species of mackerel of the western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. It is an important species to both the commercial and recreational fishing industries. The king mackerel is a medium-sized fish, typically encountered from 5 kg (11 lb) to 14 kg (30 lb), but is known to exceed 40 kg (90 lb). The entire body is covered with very small, hardly visible, loosely attached scales. The first (spiny) dorsal fin is entirely colorless and is normally folded back into a body groove, as are the pelvic fins. The lateral line starts high on the shoulder, dips abruptly at mid-body and then continues as a wavy horizontal line to the tail. Coloration is olive on the back, fading to silver with a rosy iridescence on the sides, fading to white on the belly. Fish under 5 kg (11 lb) show yellowish-brown spots on the flanks, somewhat smaller than the spots of the Atlantic Spanish mackerel, Scomberomorus maculatus. Its cutting-edged teeth are large, uniform, closely spaced and flattened from side to side. These teeth look very similar to those of the bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix.

Kofta

Kofta

Kofta is a family of meatball or meatloaf dishes found in South Asian, Central Asian, Balkan, Middle Eastern, North African, and South Caucasian cuisines. In the simplest form, koftas consist of balls of minced meat—usually beef, chicken, pork, lamb or mutton, camel or a mixture—mixed with spices and sometimes other ingredients. The earliest known recipes are found in early Arab cookbooks and call for ground lamb. There are many national and regional variations. There are also vegetable and uncooked versions. Shapes vary and include balls, patties, and cylinders. Sizes typically vary from that of a golf ball to that of an orange.

Kuku paka

Kuku paka

Kuku Paka is a chicken dish with a coconut-based curry and is also called “kuku na nazi”. It has African, Indian and Arabic influences. Kuku in Swahili means chicken. The dish is particularly popular in the East African coast and among the Indian communities living in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Paka in Swahili means to smear, to spread or to apply.[citation needed] Coconut milk or coconut cream and curry spices are the main ingredients of the dish. What sets apart Kuku Paka from other coconut curries is the flavor from char-grilling the chicken before adding it to the coconut curry base. This gives it a smoky flavor. Shrimp or fish are often substituted for chicken in this popular East African dish. See "Kuku na Nazi".

Lobster

Lobster

Lobsters are malacostracans of the family Nephropidae or its synonym Homaridae. They have long bodies with muscular tails and live in crevices or burrows on the sea floor. Three of their five pairs of legs have claws, including the first pair, which are usually much larger than the others. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important and are often one of the most profitable commodities in the coastal areas they populate. Commercially important species include two species of Homarus from the northern Atlantic Ocean and scampi —the Northern Hemisphere genus Nephrops and the Southern Hemisphere genus Metanephrops.[citation needed]

Mackerel

Mackerel

Mackerel is an important food fish that is consumed worldwide. As an oily fish, it is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. The flesh of mackerel spoils quickly, especially in the tropics, and can cause scombroid food poisoning. Accordingly, it should be eaten on the day of capture, unless properly refrigerated or cured. Mackerel preservation is not simple. Before the 19th-century development of canning and the widespread availability of refrigeration, salting and smoking were the principal preservation methods available. Historically in England, this fish was not preserved, but was consumed only in its fresh form. However, spoilage was common, leading the authors of The Cambridge Economic History of Europe to remark: "There are more references to stinking mackerel in English literature than to any other fish!" In France, mackerel was traditionally pickled with large amounts of salt, which allowed it to be sold widely across the country.

Marlin

Marlin

Marlins are fish from the family Istiophoridae, which includes 11 species. The family's common name is thought to derive from their resemblance to a sailor's marlinspike.

Mchuzi wa kamba

Mchuzi wa kamba

Kamba style prawn curry, curried prawns

Mchuzi wa nazi wa pweza

Mchuzi wa nazi wa pweza

Octopus curry with coconut milk

Mchuzi wa samaki

Mchuzi wa samaki

Mishkaki

Mishkaki

Marinated meat kebabs, made with beef, chicken, lamb, goat, liver, fish, seafood, octopus

Mtori

Mtori

Mtori is a popular Tanzanian stew made of bananas and meat along with other ingredients . The soup originated in the Kilimanjaro area of Tanzania, specifically the Moshi-Arusha region. Plantains/green bananas are often eaten in this region as the main source of starch. It has since spread to other areas throughout Tanzania. A special stick is traditionally used to mash the bananas. Mtori is often eaten by Maasai women during a three-month period postpartum confinement for nutrition. During this postpartum period, women are given mainly soft foods (laini) to eat like mtori. Because it is a thick stew, it can be served as a main course. It can be eaten during breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Ndizi na nyama

Ndizi na nyama

Soup with green bananas and meat or fish

Nyama choma

Nyama choma

Grilled meat such as goat, sheep, beef, chicken, serve with mukimo (irio), spicy tomato relish

Octopus

Octopus

People of several cultures eat octopus. The arms and sometimes other body parts are prepared in various ways, often varying by species and/or geography. Octopuses are sometimes eaten or prepared alive, a practice that is controversial due to scientific evidence that octopuses experience pain. Octopus is a common ingredient in Japanese cuisine, including sushi, sashimi, karaage, stew, sour salad, takoyaki and akashiyaki.

Oyster

Oyster

Oyster is the common name for a number of different families of salt-water bivalve molluscs that live in marine or brackish habitats. In some species, the valves are highly calcified, and many are somewhat irregular in shape. Many, but not all oysters, are in the superfamily Ostreoidea.

Pilau

Pilau

Pilaf , pilav or pilau ( UK: /ˈpiːlaʊ, piːˈlaʊ/) is a rice dish, or in some regions, a wheat dish, whose recipe usually involves cooking in stock or broth, adding spices, and other ingredients such as vegetables or meat,[note 1][note 2] and employing some technique for achieving cooked grains that do not adhere.[note 3][note 4] At the time of the Abbasid Caliphate, such methods of cooking rice at first spread through a vast territory from South Asia to Spain, and eventually to a wider world. The Spanish paella,[note 5] and the South Asian pilau or pulao,[note 6] and biryani,[note 7] evolved from such dishes.

Pweza wa nazi

Pweza wa nazi

Octopus curry with coconut milk spices, garlic and lime

Samaki

Samaki

Stewed, grilled, dried, curried, fried

Samaki wa kupaka

Samaki wa kupaka

Grilled fish in coconut sauce

Sarapatel

Sarapatel

Sarapatel , or Sorpotel, is a dish of Portuguese origin now commonly cooked in the Konkan—primarily Goa, Mangalore, and Bombay—the erstwhile Estado da Índia Portuguesa colony. What came to India was the version popular from Alentejo region of Portugal, to which the native Goan Christians and East Indians added their own flavors. It is also prepared in northeastern Brazil. The word ‘Sarapatel’ literally means confusion, referring to the mish-mash of ingredients which include Pork meat and offal (which includes heart, liver, tongue, and even pork blood sometimes). However, blood is rarely used in the modern-day version since pure blood is difficult to acquire. The meat is first parboiled, then diced and sauteed before being cooked in a spicy and vinegary sauce. The flavourings and spices differ from region to region, for example, some use more vinegar. The size of the pieces also varies, as does cooking technique: some sauté the meat prior to cooking it in the sauce, while others add the diced parboiled meat directly to the sauce.

Seafood

Seafood

Seafood is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans, prominently including fish and shellfish. Shellfish include various species of molluscs , crustaceans (e.g. shrimp, crabs, and lobster), and echinoderms (e.g. sea cucumbers and sea urchins). Historically, marine mammals such as cetaceans (whales and dolphins) as well as seals have been eaten as food, though that happens to a lesser extent in modern times. Edible sea plants such as some seaweeds and microalgae are widely eaten as sea vegetables around the world, especially in Asia. Seafood is an important source of (animal) protein in many diets around the world, especially in coastal areas. Semi-vegetarians who consume seafood as the only source of meat are said to adhere to pescetarianism.

Shark

Shark

Sharks are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachimorpha and are the sister group to the Batoidea (rays and kin). Some sources extend the term "shark" as an informal category including extinct members of Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish) with a shark-like morphology, such as hybodonts. Shark-like chondrichthyans such as Cladoselache and Doliodus first appeared in the Devonian Period (419–359 million years), though some fossilized chondrichthyan-like scales are as old as the Late Ordovician (458–444 million years ago). The earliest confirmed modern sharks (selachimorphs) are known from the Early Jurassic around 200 million years ago, with the oldest known member being Agaleus, though records of true sharks may extend back as far as the Permian. Sharks range in size from the small dwarf lanternshark (Etmopterus perryi), a deep sea species that is only 17 centimetres (6.7 in) in length, to the whale shark (Rhincodon typus), the largest fish in the world, which reaches approximately 12 metres (40 ft) in length. They are found in all seas and are common to depths up to 2,000 metres (6,600 ft). They generally do not live in freshwater, although there are a few known exceptions, such as the bull shark and the river sharks, which can be found in both seawater and freshwater, and the Ganges shark, which lives only in freshwater. Sharks have a covering of dermal denticles that protects their skin from damage and parasites in addition to improving their fluid dynamics. They have numerous sets of replaceable teeth.

Shrimp

Shrimp

A shrimp or shrimps (UK)) is a crustacean (a form of shellfish) with an elongated body and a primarily swimming mode of locomotion – typically belonging to the Caridea or Dendrobranchiata of the order Decapoda, although some crustaceans outside of this order are also referred to as "shrimp". More narrow definitions may be restricted to Caridea, to smaller species of either group or to only the marine species. Under a broader definition, shrimp may be synonymous with prawn, covering stalk-eyed swimming crustaceans with long, narrow muscular tails (abdomens), long whiskers (antennae), and slender legs. Any small crustacean which resembles a shrimp tends to be called one. They swim forward by paddling with swimmerets on the underside of their abdomens, although their escape response is typically repeated flicks with the tail driving them backwards very quickly. Crabs and lobsters have strong walking legs, whereas shrimp have thin, fragile legs which they use primarily for perching.

Snapper

Snapper

Snapper fish belong to the family Lutjanidae, which includes about 113 species, primarily found in tropical and subtropical waters. They are known for their sweet, mild flavor and are popular as a food fish, with the red snapper being one of the most recognized types.

Squid

Squid

A squid is a mollusc with an elongated soft body, large eyes, eight arms, and two tentacles in the orders Myopsida, Oegopsida, and Bathyteuthida (though many other molluscs within the broader Neocoleoidea are also called squid despite not strictly fitting these criteria). Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, and a mantle. They are mainly soft-bodied, like octopuses, but have a small internal skeleton in the form of a rod-like gladius or pen, made of chitin. Squid diverged from other cephalopods during the Jurassic and occupy a similar role to teleost fish as open water predators of similar size and behaviour. They play an important role in the open water food web. The two long tentacles are used to grab prey and the eight arms to hold and control it. The beak then cuts the food into suitable size chunks for swallowing. Squid are rapid swimmers, moving by jet propulsion, and largely locate their prey by sight. They are among the most intelligent of invertebrates, with groups of Humboldt squid having been observed hunting cooperatively. They are preyed on by sharks, other fish, sea birds, seals and cetaceans, particularly sperm whales.

Tajine

Tajine

A tagine or tajine, also tajin or tagin is a Maghrebi dish, and also the earthenware pot in which it is cooked. It is also called maraq or marqa. The Arabic طاجين (ṭajīn) is derived from Ancient Greek τάγηνον (tágēnon) 'frying-pan, saucepan'. According to some sources, the origin of the word 'tagine' is Persian, pronounced "ته چین". In the 1990s, the late Dr. Vivien Swan identified pottery from various sites on Scotland's Antonine Wall, built by the Numidian governor of Roman Britain, Quintus Lollius Urbicus, of a North African style, one being a casserole dish that may have been a precursor to the modern tagine. Fragments of tagines have also been identified among Numidian ceramics in modern-day Tunisia.

Tuna

Tuna

A tuna is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae (mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna (max length: 50 cm or 1.6 ft, weight: 1.8 kg or 4 lb) up to the Atlantic bluefin tuna (max length: 4.6 m or 15 ft, weight: 684 kg or 1,508 lb[citation needed]), which averages 2 m (6.6 ft) and is believed to live up to 50 years. Tuna, opah, and mackerel sharks are the only species of fish that can maintain a body temperature higher than that of the surrounding water. An active and agile predator, the tuna has a sleek, streamlined body, and is among the fastest-swimming pelagic fish – the yellowfin tuna, for example, is capable of speeds of up to 75 km/h (47 mph). Greatly inflated speeds can be found in early scientific reports and are still widely reported in the popular literature.

Ugali

Ugali

Ugali, also known as posho, nsima, papa, pap, sadza, isitshwala, akume, amawe, ewokple, akple, and other names, is a type of corn meal made from maize or corn flour in several African countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Botswana and South Africa, and in West Africa by the Ewes of Togo, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria and Cote D'Ivoire. It is cooked in boiling water or milk until it reaches a stiff or firm dough-like consistency. In 2017, the dish was added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, one of a few foods in the list. This dish is eaten widely across Africa, where it has different local names:

Urojo

Urojo

Soup with meat, vegetables, plantain, potatoes, bhaji, cassava, eggs, kachori

Wali na maharage

Wali na maharage

Rice and beans, often using coconut rice

Baba ghanoush

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Baba ghanoush

Baba ghanoush , also spelled baba ganoush or baba ghanouj, is a Levantine appetizer consisting of finely chopped roasted eggplant, olive oil, lemon juice, various seasonings, and tahini. The eggplant is traditionally roasted, baked or broiled over an open flame before peeling, so that the pulp is soft and has a smoky taste. It is a typical meze (starter) of the regional cuisine, often served as a side to a main meal and as a dip for pita bread. A very similar dish is mutabbal (Arabic: متبل, lit. 'spiced'), which is sometimes said to be a spicier version of baba ghanoush.

Chapati

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Chapati

Chapati , also known as roti, rooti, rotee, rotli, rotta, safati, shabaati, phulka, chapo (in East Africa), sada roti (in the Caribbean), poli (in Marathi), and roshi (in the Maldives), is an unleavened flatbread originating from the Indian subcontinent and is a staple in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka, the Arabian Peninsula, East Africa, and the Caribbean. Chapatis are made of whole-wheat flour known as atta, mixed into dough with water, oil (optional), and salt (optional) in a mixing utensil called a parat, and are cooked on a tava (flat skillet). It is a common staple in the Indian subcontinent as well as amongst expatriates from the Indian subcontinent throughout the world. Chapatis were also introduced to other parts of the world by immigrants from the Indian subcontinent, particularly by Indian merchants to Central Asia, Southeast Asia, East Africa, and the Caribbean.

Chapati

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Chapati

Chapati , also known as roti, rooti, rotee, rotli, rotta, safati, shabaati, phulka, chapo (in East Africa), sada roti (in the Caribbean), poli (in Marathi), and roshi (in the Maldives), is an unleavened flatbread originating from the Indian subcontinent and is a staple in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka, the Arabian Peninsula, East Africa, and the Caribbean. Chapatis are made of whole-wheat flour known as atta, mixed into dough with water, oil (optional), and salt (optional) in a mixing utensil called a parat, and are cooked on a tava (flat skillet). It is a common staple in the Indian subcontinent as well as amongst expatriates from the Indian subcontinent throughout the world. Chapatis were also introduced to other parts of the world by immigrants from the Indian subcontinent, particularly by Indian merchants to Central Asia, Southeast Asia, East Africa, and the Caribbean.

Chips mayai

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Chips mayai

Chipsi mayai , also known as zege, is the most popular street food found all over Tanzania. The dish was invented in the streets of Dar es Salaam. In its most basic form, chipsi mayai is a simple potato-egg omelette. It is available in all regions of Tanzania, from the most remote villages to large towns. Food stands both indoors and on streets make them to order. It is the unofficial national dish of the country. It is generally prepared with chips (French fries), oil and beaten eggs fried together in a pan. It is often served with kachumbari or pili-pili, which can be any type of hot sauce.

Chutney

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Chutney

A chutney is a spread typically associated with cuisines of the Indian subcontinent. Chutneys are made in a wide variety of forms, such as a tomato relish, a ground peanut garnish, yogurt, or curd, cucumber, spicy coconut, spicy onion, or mint dipping sauce. The word chutney derives from Hindi चटनी chaṭnī, deriving from चाटना chāṭnā 'to lick' or 'to eat with appetite'. In India, chutney refers to fresh and pickled preparations indiscriminately; however, several Indian languages use the word for fresh preparations only.[citation needed]

Dafu

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Dafu

Date nut bread

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Date nut bread

Bread made with vanilla, dates, walnuts, hazelnuts

Falafel

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Falafel

Falafel is a deep-fried ball or patty-shaped fritter of Egyptian origin, featuring in Middle Eastern cuisine, particularly Levantine cuisines, and is made from broad beans, ground chickpeas, or both.

Fried cassava

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Fried cassava

Fruit

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Fruit

Avocado, bananas, coconut, custard apples, durian, grapes, jackfruit, mandarins, mango, oranges, papaya (pawpaw), passionfruit, pineapple, plantains, watermelon

Kachori

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Kachori

Kachori is a deep-fried, spicy, stuffed pastry originating from the Marwar region of Rajasthan, India. It is made of maida filled with a stuffing of baked mixture of moong dal or onions (usually, depends on the variation), besan, coriander, red chili powder, salt, and other Indian spices and deep-fried in vegetable oil until crispy golden brown. It is served hot with sweet and spicy tamarind chutney or occasionally with mint and green chilli chutney. Originating in India, kachoris have become popular throughout South Asia, each region adding its own local variations.

Kachumbari

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Kachumbari

Kachumbari is a fresh tomato and onion salad relish that is popular in the cuisines of the African Great Lakes region. It is an uncooked salad dish consisting of chopped tomatoes, onions, and chili peppers. Variations of kachumbari can be found in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and in the Southern African countries of Malawi and Congo. The Swahili word kachumbari originated from the Indian word cachumber. Kachumbari is used as a salad side dish for a main meal. In Kenya, it is used as a condiment served with pilau , mukimo, or a meal of nyama choma (roasted meat) and ugali. In Tanzania, it is eaten with rice pilau or biryani. In Malawi, it is usually eaten on its own like any other salad dish, while in Uganda it is normally eaten with nyama choma.

Katlesi

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Katlesi

Potato fritters filled with a spiced meat or fish mixture

Mango salsa

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Mango salsa

Mango salsa is a fresh and flavorful dip made primarily from ripe mangos, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and jalapeño. It can be served with tortilla chips, on tacos, or as a topping for grilled meats and salads.

Mchicha

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Mchicha

Leafy greens similar to spinach, stewed, in peanut sauce

Mikate ya ajemi

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Mikate ya ajemi

Ajemi flatbread

Mikate ya bwana

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Mikate ya bwana

Mikate ya maziwa

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Mikate ya maziwa

Mikate ya pembe

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Mikate ya pembe

Coconut flatbread

Mkate

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Mkate

Bread, made with wheat, rice, sesame, many different types

Mkate wa pembe

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Mkate wa pembe

Fried square-shaped coconut doughnut

Mkate wa sinia

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Mkate wa sinia

Coconut rice cake with cardamom and vanilla

Mkate wa ufuta

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Mkate wa ufuta

Sesame flatbread

Ndizi kaanga

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Ndizi kaanga

Fried plantains/green bananas, Zanzibar

Rice

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Rice

Rice is a cereal grain and in its domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species Oryza sativa —or, much less commonly, Oryza glaberrima (African rice). Asian rice was domesticated in China some 13,500 to 8,200 years ago; African rice was domesticated in Africa about 3,000 years ago. Rice has become commonplace in many cultures worldwide; in 2021, 787 million tons were produced, placing it fourth after sugarcane, maize, and wheat. Only some 8% of rice is traded internationally. China, India, and Indonesia are the largest consumers of rice. A substantial amount of the rice produced in developing nations is lost after harvest through factors such as poor transport and storage. Rice yields can be reduced by pests including insects, rodents, and birds, as well as by weeds, and by diseases such as rice blast. Traditional rice polycultures such as rice-duck farming, and modern integrated pest management seek to control damage from pests in a sustainable way. Many varieties of rice have been bred to improve crop quality and productivity. Biotechnology has created Green Revolution rice able to produce high yields when supplied with nitrogen fertiliser and managed intensively. Other products are rice able to express human proteins for medicinal use; flood-tolerant or deepwater rice; and drought-tolerant and salt-tolerant varieties. Rice is used as a model organism in biology.

Sambusa

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Sambusa

A samosa (listenⓘ) ( Persian: سمبوسه) from the Persian word sambosag (سنبوسگ) (meaning 'triangular pastry') is a fried South Asian and West Asian snack. It is a pastry with a savory filling, mostly vegetables, spiced potatoes, onions, and peas, but also meat or fish. It is made in different shapes, including triangular, cone, or crescent, depending on the region. Samosas are often accompanied by chutney, and have origins in medieval times or earlier. Sweet versions are also made. Samosas are a popular entrée, appetizer, or snack in the cuisines of India, South Asia, West Asia, Central Asia, Portugal, East Africa and their South Asian diasporas. The English word samosa derives from the Hindustani word samosa (Urdu: سموسہ, Hindi: समोसा), traceable to the Middle Persian word sanbosag (سنبوسگ) 'triangular pastry'. Similar pastries are called sambusak in Arabic from Persian; medieval Arabic recipe books sometimes spell it sambusaj, which are all borrowed from Persian sanbosag.

Stewed lentils

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Stewed lentils

Lentil stew with coconut and potatoes

Stewed red beans

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Stewed red beans

Vegetables

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Vegetables

Beans (maharage), cassava (manioc), cassava leaves/greens (kisamvu), corn (maize), green peas (njegere), okra (bamia), spinach (mchicha), sweet potatoes, yams

Vitumbua

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Vitumbua

Coconut rice pancakes

Wali wa nazi

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Wali wa nazi

Coconut rice is a dish prepared by cooking white rice in coconut milk or coconut flakes. As both the coconut and the rice-plant are commonly found in the tropics all around the world, coconut rice too, is found in many cultures throughout the world. It spans across the equator from Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, South America, Central America, West Africa, East Africa, the Caribbean and Oceania. Rice cooked in coconut milk is common in Indonesian cuisine, with each region having developed their own version of it. Plain coconut rice is usually made from white rice, coconut milk, ginger, fenugreek seed, lemongrass and pandan leaves, with the most common coconut rice recipe in Indonesia being nasi uduk from Jakarta. Other coconut milk rice recipes include nasi gurih from Aceh and Javanese nasi liwet. Nasi kuning is Indonesian yellow rice which is similar to coconut rice with addition of turmeric as a coloring and flavoring agent. Other types of coconut rice recipes take the form of dumplings, such as burasa from Makassar and lemang popular in Minangkabau.

Zanzibar chocolate

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Zanzibar chocolate

A sesame and honey snack

Zanzibar pizza

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Zanzibar pizza

Thin, pocket-like fried dough filled with meat, fish, beef, chicken, onions, tomatoes, egg, cheese, mayonnaise, chili peppers