Zanzibar Mix - Street Food

We have become very fond of a well known street food in Dar-es-Salaam known as Zanzibar Mix. We had for Thanksgiving. It is a spicy soup with a  multitude of ingredients described below. We get it at a small open courtyard "restaurant" about 4 blocks away. We had some last night. I took pictures as I waited for my for my order to be filled. It's a nice look at a unique street food culture and how it is prepared. You always have to wait since the food is prepared and cooked right in front of you.

Finished product

There is always a line of people waiting no matter what time we arrive. They only sell Zanzibar Mix there. It is quite cheap, only TZS 2000 or $1.25 per bowl. One bowl is a nice light meal.

Stirring the bhajia  recipe prior to frying

The 'Mix' is a bowl of smooth and tangy flour-based sauce cooked with lemon and mango, with tiny cubes of potatoes in it, followed by crispy bhajias and fried mashed potatoes, a spoon of coconut chutney, a dash of red-hot chutney and a scoop of deep fried cassava or potato shavings sprinkled on top.

Forming the bhajias by hand

Dropping the mashed potatoes into hot boiling oil. Tanzanians use their hands with food, both in preparation and eating. The oil is very hot.

Frying mashed potatoes in front and the casava shavings in the back. The fry cooks are always in motion.

The proprietor fills the orders by doling out the soup in the big bowl and adding all the  fresh fried ingredients and requisite spices supplied by the cooks. He also interacts with all the customers and orders everyone around. He is the Dar version of the Soup Nazi.

The ingredients are flour, warm water, coconut milk, salt, grated raw mango, lemon juice, red chili powder, garlic past, chillies, potatoes and turmeric.