Name: Zanzibari Coconut Curry (Mchuzi wa Samaki)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 10 g cilantro leaves; 1 onion (medium-sized); 30 g ginger root (peeled and grated); 2 garlic cloves; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 lemon (juice only); 1 tbsp curry powder (heaped); 1 tbsp paprika (heaped); 1 scotch bonnet pepper (de-seeded); 1 tbsp coconut oil; 200 ml tomato passata or sauce; 250 ml coconut milk; 1 tsp garam masala; 1 tbsp brown sugar (heaped); 0.5 lime (juice only); 1 vegetable stock cube

This Coconut Curry is easy to make and flavoursome with lots of East African spices. The rich spices and coconut milk give it a creamy texture and wonderful flavour.

curry sauce

I came across this recipe on one of my quests to discover a new dish from the continent, and I immediately fell in love with it. Mchuzi wa Samaki is one of the traditional Swahili fish curry dishes cooked in Tanzania. Originally crafted in Zanzibar, the recipe has over time migrated across Zanzibar and is now enjoyed very much along most of East Africa with regional variations here and there.

This dish is creamy and flavoursome, thanks to the rich spices so reminiscent of the tropics, and the coconut milk. This is an easy-to-make recipe that does not compromise on taste.

And speaking of taste, the secret is in the curry paste that forms the body of this recipe.

Zanzibari Coconut Curry (Mchuzi wa Samaki)

This Coconut Curry is easy to make and flavoursome with lots of Indian spices. The coconut milk gives it a creamy texture and wonderful flavour.

Servings	Prep Time
4 servings	10 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
4 servings	10 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Zanzibari Coconut Curry (Mchuzi wa Samaki)

This Coconut Curry is easy to make and flavoursome with lots of Indian spices. The coconut milk gives it a creamy texture and wonderful flavour.

Servings	Prep Time
4 servings	10 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Servings	Prep Time
4 servings	10 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Ingredients

Curry Paste

10 g cilantro leaves
1 onion medium-sized
30 g ginger root peeled and grated
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 lemon juice only
1 tbsp curry powder heaped
1 tbsp paprika heaped
1 scotch bonnet pepper de-seeded

Sauce

1 tbsp coconut oil
200 ml tomato passata or sauce
250 ml coconut milk
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp brown sugar heaped
0.5 lime juice only
1 vegetable stock cube

Units:

Instructions

Curry Paste

To make the curry paste, first heat a pan and when hot, add the ground cumin, and ground coriander seeds to the pan. Roast for a few mins (2 - 3 minutes) until they are fragrant. Stir constantly to prevent the spices from burning. Remove from heat.
Add all the ingredients for the curry paste into a food processor. Pulse until you achieve a paste-like consistency.

Curry Sauce

To make the curry sauce, place a wok on medium heat until the wok is hot. Then add the coconut oil to a wok. Allow the oil to get heated and then add the curry paste. Fry on medium heat for about 3 - 5 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
Slowly add the tomato sauce, and then add the coconut milk. Cover and allow the sauce to come to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low/medium, add the vegetable stock, uncover slightly and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes.
Then, add the brown sugar, lime juice and garam masala. If you are serving with baked tandoori chicken, add the already baked tandoori chicken now and allow to simmer for another 10 minutes.
Garnish with the chopped cilantro leaves and serve with Ugali as is the traditional way of eating this dish or with steamed rice.