I’ve never been to Zanzibar, the Indian Ocean archipelago off the coast of Tanzania. Save for the dreamy social media posts of friends and acquaintances, I’ve never seen its white sand beaches or its cobblestone streets, lined with ancient and modern architecture. And the food-filled markets of Stone Town, the old quarter of the capital, Zanzibar City, have come alive to me only through the footage I’ve watched on my phone.
Recently, more than a few friends have shared their passion for Zanzibari cuisine, with its döner-style kebabs, grilled on a rotating spit, expertly shaved off into small pieces, and skewered chunks of meat with peppers and onions called mshikaki. Of their telling, though, two dishes felt the most compelling: Zanzibar mix (also known as urojo), a fragrant, brothy green mango soup replete with toppings, and Zanzibar pizza. How is a bowl of soup served as street food? I wondered. And why is the Zanzibar pizza called pizza, when it is a filled dough instead?
Recipes: Zanzibari Mix (Urojo) | Zanzibari Pizza
I wanted to get to know them, but since I’m still very much in Brooklyn, I needed a guide, someone who had experienced these dishes firsthand.
I reached out to Krishnendu Ray, a professor and director of the food studies doctoral program at New York University. Born and raised in India, he found himself in the United States pursuing a Ph.D. in sociology and yearning for the food of his home. It eventually inspired a career pivot: Now, as part of his work, he has traveled widely along the Indian Ocean, looking at the intersection between food culture and tradition.
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The post Zanzibar’s Must-Have Street Food Is This Bright, Tangy Soup appeared first on New York Times.
