Mchuzi wa dagaa na bamia (Dried anchovies and okra)

http://www.mirecipe.com/Sea_mchuzi_dagaa_bamia.php

Dagaa (anchovies) can be bought from every market in Tanzania. These are part of Swahili menu almost everyday, served with Ugali and Mchicha (Tanzanian type of Spinach). The taste of anchovies depends on where they came from. I love anchovies from Lake Nyasa, at the borders of Malawi and Tanzania; are very sweet and tiny.
When I was a kid, I came to understand that Dagaa was a meal for people with lower income, but it is one my favorite dishes. I love to prepare anchovies. You may need extra time to remove those tiny heads and cut off the intestine part of each anchovi. I always feel it is worth the effort.
In western countries, Dagaa kavu (dried Anchovies) are sold at any stores specializing in African foods, Asian, Chinese or Thai. It is also a big part of Asian cooking.

Ingredients:

• 150g Dried Anchovies( Dagaa)
• 125g frozen or fresh Okra (Bamia).
• ½ cup Onions (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp Garlic (crushed in a pistol)
• 2 cups Tomatoes(Chopped)
• ¼ ground black pepper · ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp Cumin powder
• ½ lemon
• ½ cup Water
• ½ tsp Salt or more
• Vegetable Oil and salt

Method:

• Please remove all the heads and cut off the intestine part of the dagaa.
• Clean them nicely, and then soak in the worm water for at least 3 hours to soften them.
• Remove all the water, use a clean cloth or a paper towel to dry the water completely, if you are preparing ahead of time, then just put aside on a colander (chujio la nazi) to dry.
• Remove the heads off the okra, but make sure you do not expose the inside of the okra, so that you can prevent the stew from having glue like texture.
• When the above is ready, heat a tbsp spoon or more of cooking oil of your choice.
• Add onions and fry at medium heat until translucent. Then add
  Garlic and stir for a few minutes.
• Add cumin, turmeric, black pepper and salt. Increase the heat to
  medium high and stir for few minutes, if the spices start to stick
  on the pot add tomatoes; cook until dissolved.
• While the tomatoes are cooking. Heat 1-2 tbsp of oil in a
  non-stick pan then fry the anchovies until almost cooked.
• Add lemon juice and continue to stir for a minute.
• Pour the anchovies in the tomatoes mixture, add Okra (Bamia).
• Taste for salt, and continue cooking until the Okra is ready.

Note: Do not over cook the okra, or the stew is going to have glue like texture.

Serve with:
very good with Ugali and vegetables.

Kamba wa Nazi (Shrimp in Coconut Sauce)

http://www.mirecipe.com/Sea_kamba_nazi.php

Kamba (Shrimp) is loved in the coastal region. Shrimps taste better if cooked for just a few minutes on high heat. In the past I preferred fried shrimp only, but shrimp cooked with coconut milk is something that I would advise everyone to try. Believe me; you may never want fried shrimp ever again if you try this recipe. This recipe is exotic.

Ingredients:

• ½ lb/250g Shrimps (Jumbo)
• ¼ cup Onions
• 1 tsp Tomato paste (optional)
• ½ cup Tomatoes
• ¼ tsp (pinch) Turmeric
• ½ tbsp Cilantro
• ¼ tsp Black pepper
• ½ tsp Ginger
• 1/3 cup Sweet peppers (red, yellow, green)
• ¼ cup coconut cream (tui Zito)
• 1 tsp Garlic
• Salt
• Vegetable oil

Method:

• Clean the shrimps and remove the shell but leave the tail. Marinate with salt and black pepper, and then put a side.
• Heat oil in a pan, add onions and fry at medium heat until translucent.
• Add tomatoes paste and turmeric, stir for one minute
• Add tomatoes, coriander, ginger and salt. Increase the heat to medium high and cook the tomatoes until dissolved.
• Then add coconut milk. Stir until coconut cream boils. Low the heat to medium
• Add shrimps and simmer at low heat for about 5 minutes or until you feel the shrimps are cooked.

Serve with:
Ugali, rice and your favorite vegetables.

Ndizi na Nyama (Plantains with Meat)

http://www.congocookbook.com/meat_recipes/ndizi_na_nyama.html

Ndizi is the Swahili word for plantains. Nyama is the Swahili word for meat. This recipe can be either Ndizi na Nyama (Plantains with Meat) or Nyama na Ndizi (Meat with Plantains) depending on what's in the pantry. Make the dish without any meat and you will have a Mchuzi wa Ndizi (Plantain Curry). Also see: Matoke and Mtori.

Ingredients:

• one cup water
• one to two pounds of beef (or similar), cut into bite-sized cubes
• one teaspoon salt
• one-half teaspoon black pepper
• one-half teaspoon curry powder
• cayenne pepper or red pepper, (optional)
• three tablespoons cooking oil
• one or two onions, thinly sliced
• two tomatoes, chopped
• one tablespoon tomato paste
• one cup coconut milk (canned is okay, see the note about coconut milk on the Wali wa Nazi recipe page)
• one bay leaf (optional)
• three to six plantains, peeled and sliced

Method:

• In a pot or pan, bring one cup of water to a boil. Add the meat, salt, pepper, curry powder, and cayenne pepper. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer.
• While meat is simmering: Heat oil in a separate pan. Fry the onions for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and cook for several minutes. Reduce heat. Add coconut milk and bay leaf. Cover and simmer.
• Add sliced plantains to meat. Cook for ten minutes or until meat is done and plantains are tender.
• Combine the onion-tomato-coconut mixture with the meat and plantains. Stir. Adjust seasoning to taste.
• Serve with Rice or Ugali.

This dish can also be made without the coconut milk; just substitute a large spoonful of butter or margarine.

Plantains and meat steamed in banana leaves: Oluwombo.

Nyama is the word for meat in many Bantu languages across equatorial Africa.

Tanzanian Veggie Soup

http://www.vegcountry.com/recipes/African%20Soup.html

Serves 6.

Ingredients:

1 Medium Onion Chopped
8 Cups Vegetable stock

1 Teaspoon each Ginger and cumin Ground
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne pepper
2 Large Carrot Sliced
1 1/2 Cup Tomatoes Chopped
1 1/2 Cups Corn
3 to 4 Cups Yukon gold potatoes Diced
1/3 Cup Smooth peanut butter
1/2 Cup Boiling water
4 Cups Red cabbage Chopped
1 Cup Green beans Cut 1 inch pieces
1 Medium Banana Peeled and sliced
Sprinkle Peanuts Finely chopped

Procedure:

1. In a soup pot over a medium high heat, cook onion in 1/2 cup vegetable stock until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in spices and cayenne and cook 1 minute.
2. Add remaining vegetable stock, carrots, tomatoes, corn and potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
3. In a small bowl whisk together peanut butter and boiling water. Add to pot along with cabbage and green beans. Stir well to combine and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve garnished with banana slices and chopped peanuts.

Supu Ya Ndizi (Plantain Soup)

http://www.foodbycountry.com/Spain-to-Zimbabwe-Cumulative-Index/Tanzania.html#Ugali

Serves 8 to 10.

Ingredients:

• 2 or 3 (1 pound) green plantains, peeled
• 6 cups chicken broth (3 cans of chicken broth may be used)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Procedure:

1. Slice the peeled plantains and put them into a blender or food processor with 1 cup of the chicken broth.
2. Blend them together until smooth and free of lumps.
3. Pour the remaining 5 cups of chicken broth into a large saucepan. Stir in blended plantain mixture.
4. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soup is thickened (about 45 minutes). Add salt and pepper to taste.

Tanzanian Salt Cod Curry

http://www.thestar.com/living/article/260504

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless salt cod
Water for boiling + 1/2 cup
2 tbsp peanut oil
1 onion, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 waxy potatoes (about 3/4 lb/350 g total), peeled, cut in 1/2-inch dice
2 small tomatoes (about 1/2 lb/225 g total), peeled, seeded, coarsely chopped
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne

Directions:

Put cod in large pot. Cover generously with cold water. Cover and refrigerate. Soak at least 1 day or until just pleasantly salty, changing water several times.

Drain cod. Slice thicker sections in half. Cut cod into 1-inch pieces. Place in large pan and cover with water. Bring to boil on high heat. Immediately cover, remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. Drain well.

In same pan, heat oil on medium. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until softened and golden, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes, tomatoes, green pepper, 1/2 cup water, coriander, cardamom, turmeric and cayenne. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are just tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir in cod. Turn heat to medium-low. Simmer 5 minutes.