Zanzibari cuisine

Part of a series on the
Culture of Tanzania
History Timeline German East Africa Maji Maji Rebellion East African Campaign (World War I) British rule Tanganyika Sultanate of Zanzibar Zanzibar slave trade Zanzibar Revolution Arusha Declaration Ujamaa Uganda–Tanzania War COVID-19 pandemic
People
Languages
Cuisine Main Cuisine Zanzibari cuisine
Festivals Saba Saba
Religion
Literature
Music
Media Television Cinema
Sport
Monuments World Heritage Sites Stone Town Buildings
Symbols Flag Coat of arms National anthem
Tanzania portal
v t e

Zanzibari cuisine reflects several heterogeneous influences, as a consequence of the multi-cultural and multi-ethnic nature of

The first inhabitants of Zanzibar were

In the 9th century,

Between the 15th century and the 16th century, the

Around the beginning of the 20th century, most of the African Great Lakes region was colonised by the Germans and the British. Those did not mix with the local population as much as the Arabs, Persians and Indians had done, and their influence on Zanzibari cuisine is less evident; yet, some very common Zanzibari recipes, such as pepper steak, can be generically defined as having a European origin.

Post-independence

After independence, Tanzania established a strong relationship with China; Chinese physicians, engineers, and military consultants came to Zanzibar. Although only a small fraction of today's Zanzibari population have Chinese origins, some recipes and ingredients, such as soy sauce, have become commonplace on the island.

References

• Zanzibari cuisine