Tanzania (11.9.23)
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Recipes contributed by Victoria Misigaro.
For people living in America, the recipes below might comprise a typical meal. In Tanzania, depending on the family and where they live, this kind of meal would be eaten only occasionally. Chicken is expensive there, so more commonly-used proteins include beans (most common) or beef. Generally, the main meal is eaten in the evening. Cooking from a recipe is not very Tanzanian. The following are approximations, which can be adjusted according to taste and what ingredients are in season and in your pantry. For this program, Victoria was assisted by her husband, Edwin, and daughter, Neema. Click here to download these recipes. Want to try more Tanzanian recipes? Click here for the archive from our program in 2010. Click here for the archive from our program in 2011. |
Curry Chicken with Coconut
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp cooking oil
1 large onion, sliced thinly
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 lb boneless chicken breast/thighs, cut in small pieces
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup tomato sauce
chicken bouillon to taste
1 tsp cornstarch
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
Instructions:
1. Heat cooking oil and cook onions until translucent.
2. Add curry powder, turmeric, ginger, salt, and garlic. Stir and cook until aromatic.
3. Add chicken and cook until done.
4. Add brown sugar and stir to incorporate.
5. Add tomato sauce and stir.
6. Add chicken bouillon, and stir.
7. Mix cornstarch with a bit of water, then stir into pot.
8. Add coconut milk and stir.
9. Cook and stir, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken.
10. Serve with rice or ugali.
2 Tbsp cooking oil
1 large onion, sliced thinly
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 lb boneless chicken breast/thighs, cut in small pieces
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup tomato sauce
chicken bouillon to taste
1 tsp cornstarch
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
Instructions:
1. Heat cooking oil and cook onions until translucent.
2. Add curry powder, turmeric, ginger, salt, and garlic. Stir and cook until aromatic.
3. Add chicken and cook until done.
4. Add brown sugar and stir to incorporate.
5. Add tomato sauce and stir.
6. Add chicken bouillon, and stir.
7. Mix cornstarch with a bit of water, then stir into pot.
8. Add coconut milk and stir.
9. Cook and stir, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken.
10. Serve with rice or ugali.
Lima Beans and Spinach with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients:
12 oz package frozen baby lima beans
12 oz package frozen spinach
2 Tbs olive oil or vegetable oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp bouillon
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
Instructions:
1. In a medium pan, combine baby lima beans with 1 1/2 c. water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender. Don’t let them burn!
2. Add spinach and cook until tender. Set aside.
3. In another pan, heat oil. Add onion and cook until lightly browned.
4. Add peanut butter. Stir well. Stir in cooked beans and spinach, along with whatever liquid is left from cooking. Add a bit more water if needed.
5. Add bouillon and stir well.
6. Add salt to taste.
7. Heat through and serve with rice or ugali.
12 oz package frozen baby lima beans
12 oz package frozen spinach
2 Tbs olive oil or vegetable oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp bouillon
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
Instructions:
1. In a medium pan, combine baby lima beans with 1 1/2 c. water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender. Don’t let them burn!
2. Add spinach and cook until tender. Set aside.
3. In another pan, heat oil. Add onion and cook until lightly browned.
4. Add peanut butter. Stir well. Stir in cooked beans and spinach, along with whatever liquid is left from cooking. Add a bit more water if needed.
5. Add bouillon and stir well.
6. Add salt to taste.
7. Heat through and serve with rice or ugali.
Coconut Jasmine Rice
Ingredients:
4 cups jasmine rice
8 cups water
2 Tbsp organic virgin coconut oil
1 tsp salt or to taste
Instructions:
1. Cook using a rice cooker or in a pot on the stove.
2. To cook on the stovetop, add all ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil. Put the lid on the pot and turn the heat down low. Allow the rice to simmer about 15-20 minutes until done. Fluff with a fork and serve.
4 cups jasmine rice
8 cups water
2 Tbsp organic virgin coconut oil
1 tsp salt or to taste
Instructions:
1. Cook using a rice cooker or in a pot on the stove.
2. To cook on the stovetop, add all ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil. Put the lid on the pot and turn the heat down low. Allow the rice to simmer about 15-20 minutes until done. Fluff with a fork and serve.
Sambusa (Samosa)
Filling (Can make endless variations. See vegetarian option below)
Brown: 3 lbs ground turkey or beef
1 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh garlic
Drain off oil.
Add: 1 large onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and grated
1/2 medium cabbage, shredded
2 Tbsp curry powder (Victoria recommends the Javin brand)
1 tsp coriander powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp hot chili powder or fresh hot peppers, chopped, to taste
Cook together for 20 min. on medium-low heat. Pour into large colander or sieve and drain very well, pressing to squeeze out liquid.
Vegetarian Filling
Saute: onions, chopped
garlic, chopped
Add: your choice of lentils, beans, chopped potatoes and fresh veggies (ex., cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini). Season with same seasonings as above. Cook until tender. Drain, if needed.
Pastry
Mix well: 5 c flour
2 3/4 c water
1 tsp salt
Knead on lightly floured surface until dough is smooth and stretchy and doesn’t stick to counter. Shape dough into an even number of balls, slightly larger than golf ball size. (This recipe makes about 22 balls, which will yield pockets for 88 samosas.)
On a floured surface, roll out balls into approx. 5” circles. Lightly coat the surface of one circle with vegetable oil. Place a second circle on top. Repeat until all circles are paired in stacks of two.
Starting with the first stack, roll into a 10” circle. Cook on hot griddle (400° F) until one side is dry. Turn and dry on other side. Remove from griddle.
Separate layers. Turn top layer over and place upside down on other layer. Do this for 4 to 5 of the 10” circles. Cut circles into quarters; stack, and place into a plastic bag to keep them moist. Repeat until all dough is processed.
Assemble
Make a paste out of flour and water. Take a piece of prepared dough and fold two corners overlapping each other to form a pocket. Seal the overlapped portion well with the paste.
Fill the pocket with prepared filling. Fold remaining flap of dough over filling to form a triangle, sealing edges with paste. Having someone to help you makes this whole process much more fun and fast.
Deep fry filled triangles in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Eat and enjoy! Try squeezing a little fresh lemon or lime into the filling as you eat it to add more flavor.
Brown: 3 lbs ground turkey or beef
1 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh garlic
Drain off oil.
Add: 1 large onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and grated
1/2 medium cabbage, shredded
2 Tbsp curry powder (Victoria recommends the Javin brand)
1 tsp coriander powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp hot chili powder or fresh hot peppers, chopped, to taste
Cook together for 20 min. on medium-low heat. Pour into large colander or sieve and drain very well, pressing to squeeze out liquid.
Vegetarian Filling
Saute: onions, chopped
garlic, chopped
Add: your choice of lentils, beans, chopped potatoes and fresh veggies (ex., cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini). Season with same seasonings as above. Cook until tender. Drain, if needed.
Pastry
Mix well: 5 c flour
2 3/4 c water
1 tsp salt
Knead on lightly floured surface until dough is smooth and stretchy and doesn’t stick to counter. Shape dough into an even number of balls, slightly larger than golf ball size. (This recipe makes about 22 balls, which will yield pockets for 88 samosas.)
On a floured surface, roll out balls into approx. 5” circles. Lightly coat the surface of one circle with vegetable oil. Place a second circle on top. Repeat until all circles are paired in stacks of two.
Starting with the first stack, roll into a 10” circle. Cook on hot griddle (400° F) until one side is dry. Turn and dry on other side. Remove from griddle.
Separate layers. Turn top layer over and place upside down on other layer. Do this for 4 to 5 of the 10” circles. Cut circles into quarters; stack, and place into a plastic bag to keep them moist. Repeat until all dough is processed.
Assemble
Make a paste out of flour and water. Take a piece of prepared dough and fold two corners overlapping each other to form a pocket. Seal the overlapped portion well with the paste.
Fill the pocket with prepared filling. Fold remaining flap of dough over filling to form a triangle, sealing edges with paste. Having someone to help you makes this whole process much more fun and fast.
Deep fry filled triangles in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Eat and enjoy! Try squeezing a little fresh lemon or lime into the filling as you eat it to add more flavor.