Tanzanian Recipes Mapishi ya Tanzania

Breaking the fast during Ramadan

Uji wa Pilipili Manga
Black Pepper Porridge
By: Miriam

Ramadan is the 9th month of the Muslim Calendar. This is the time when Muslims (excluding Children, elderly, sick and pregnant women) fast and strictly follow Islamic teachings. During this period a Muslim must avoid greed/selfishness, anger, envy, lust, and etcetera. The main reason is to allow a Muslim to be close to God. Not to forget, Muslims use this season to strengthen ties with their communities. This includes sharing food.

Did I say food! Yes, food. I remember when I was about 5 to 6 years old in Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania. Our neighbor who was from Zanzibar (the island of Tanzania) would always bring us food during Ramadan season. Sure the lady could cook. One thing I never understood at that age was that; This family would stay without eating anything for the whole day, then when it was time to eat, they would first drink ( very light) Uji wa pilipili manga (Black pepper porridge) . Even though I loved this porridge, but as a five year old, I thought they were insane; After not eating for that long, I could have run and eat pilau, ugali, bhajia, samosas and etcetera.

Now I can understand the scientific facts of why this family did break their fast by having a light porridge known as Uji wa pilipili manga. After not eating for the whole day, basically the intestine shrinks. It is not good after not eating for long hours to eat something heavy. To help the intestines expand without causing any stomach pain, it is always healthy to have something very light and warm. I guess that was why our neighbor would break their fast during Ramadan by having this light porridge.

Karibu, more will follow. Please click here to get the recipe of Uji wa pilipili manga.

I did receive a few requests to post recipes for Ramadan season. In the past, I always found myself very busy during Ramadan and Christmas season so I never post anything for those great seasons. This is special for Camilya, Shanice, Mkuu and all my Muslim visitors and I promise to add more, for now I say:

first comes first,
lets break the fast
Peace during this season.

6 comments September 14th, 2007

Mthokoi

SWAHILI
Asante nyingi kwa Wawuda kwa kutuma mapishi haya kwetu. Nimetayarisha mapishi haya nyumbani mara chache kwa ajili ya familia yangu. Ni mapishi yanayoonekana marahisi sana lakini mchanganyiko wa maharae, mahindi na pilipili mboga/hoho yana utamu mzuri sana ambao unaweza kukufanya uongeze kwenye sahani yako tena na tena. Nafurahi kukwambia haya ni mapishi ya Kenya ambayo ni lazima ujaribu.

Wawuda hakuniambia haya mapishi niya kutoka sehemu gain Kenya, lakini naweza kusema mapishi haya ni kama sawa na Makande ya Tanzania. Tofauti kubwa ni kwamba, Tanzania tunatumia nazi na pia hatuchanganyi na mboga.

Unachohitaji
Mahindi yaliokobolewa kikombe kimoja
Maharagwe kikombe kimoja
Vitunguu viwili
Pilipili Mboga mbili
Saumu kiasi
Nyanya Tatu
Knorr/Royko vijiko viwili
Mafuta kiasi
Upishi wenyewe

1. Loweka mahindi kwa mda kwani kawaida huchukua mda mrefu kuiva
2. Kisha yachemshe
3. Yakishachemka weka maharagwe
4. Yape mda wa kutosha yaive pamoja na mahindi
5. Vyote vikisha iva epua sufuria yako ili utayarishe viungo
6. Pasha mafuta moto hadi yawe moto kabisa
7. Weka vitunguu ambavyo vimekatwakatwa
8. Vikisha geuka rangi,weka kitunguu saumu ambacho kimepondwa
9. Ongeza nyanya ambazo pia zimekatwakatwa
10. Pamoja na pilipili mboga
11. Ukiwa uko na Royko au knorr bora zaidi,weka vijiko viwili
12. Weka chumvi kiasi
13. Rojo hili likiwa tayari mimina kwenya sufuria ya mthokoi
14. Rudisha tena kwa moto wa chini na ukoroge vizuri vyote vichanganyike

Tayari kupakuliwa.

ENGLISH
Many thanks to Wawuda for sharing this recipe with us. I have prepared this recipe a few times for my family. It seems very simple but the mixture of beans, corn and sweet pepper creates a wonderful flavor that may make you serve this dish again and again. I am happy to tell you this is a must try Kenyan recipe.

Wawuda did not say what part of Kenya this recipe is from; but I can say, it is almost the same as Makande recipe from Tanzania. The main difference is that In Tanzania we add coconut milk and vegetables are served separately.

Ingredients
1 cup Maize (dried)
1 cup Beans (dried)
2 onions
2 green peppers
Any amount Garlic
3 Tomatoes
2 tsp Knorr/Royko
oil for cooking

1. Soak dry maize over night and cook next day until well cooked
2. Then Boil
3. After they boil, add beans
4. Simmer until both are cooked
5. When cooked remove from heat ad set aside
6. Heat oil in pot
7. Add chopped onions
8. When the onions turn color add chopped garlic
9. Add chopped tomatoes
10. And then sweet peppers
11. Add Roiko or Knorr (two table spoons)
12. Add salt
13. Simmer, when ready pour in maize and beans pot, mix well
14. Simmer mthokoi on low heat until it boils

Serve hot

8 comments July 12th, 2007

Ugali

SWAHILI
Araway kaniuliza jinsi ya kupika ugali, sasa nimekumbuka nina mapishi ya ugali katika tovuti yangu. Gonga hapa. Naomba radhi mapishi haya niliandika zamani kwa kizungu, nitaya andika kwa lugha ya Kiswahili siku nyingine.
Ugali si chakula kigeni duniani, watu wa Italia wanakula chakula ambacho ni kama ugali wanaita polenta. Polenta ni laini sana, pia wanatumia unga wa chenga chenga.

Watu wa Angola wanaita ugali funji, ambao ni mlaini sana kuligo ugali wa Tanzania. Na nchi za Afrika magharibi pia wanakula ugali wa kila aina kama Tanzania, wanatumia mhogo, ndizi na viazi, lakini wanatumia jina tofauti. Araway nategemea mapishi haya yatakusaidia.

ENGLISH
Araway asked me how to prepare Ugali, and I have remembered that I did have that recipe on my site. Click here to get the recipe.
Ugali is not new to many countries, Italians do eat something almost the same as Ugali known as polenta, which is much softer than ugali, but use course flour.

In Angola, Ugali is known as funji, which is much softer than Tanzanian Ugali. West African countries do it ugali using cassava, banana and potato flour just like in Tanzania, but use different name.

2 comments June 16th, 2007