The Science of Spice

34 World of Spice

Thanks to the legendary spice islands of the Zanzibar

Archipelago, Tanzania has historically been the

epicentre of East Africa’s spice trade and continues

to play the role of dominant influencer in the region’s

cuisine. Over 2,000 years of trade with Arabia, Persia,

and India saw the introduction of warming spices

such as cloves, ginger, pepper, cinnamon, and

cardamom. Ginger and cardamom travelled furthest

inland, making them the most widely used spices of

the region. In coastal areas, cooking draws on turmeric

and coriander to bring fresh, tropical notes when

combined with coconut.

LOCAL SPICE BLEND

Pilau masala

Introduced to the region

via India and Arabia, pilau

rice is a one-pot dish made

with meat or vegetables

and spiced with the

following masala blend.

(^1) ⁄ 2 tsp cumin seeds
(^1) ⁄ 2 tsp whole black peppercorns
(^1) ⁄ 2 tsp cloves
(^1) ⁄ 4 tsp cardamom seeds
(^1) ⁄ 4 tsp ground cinnamon
Grind the whole spices and
combine with the cinnamon.
The masala is usually added
when frying the onions.
Spices for an East
African pilau
masala blend.
Signature
Ginger, cardamom,
garlic, cinnamon, clove
Ginger gives East African
cuisine piquancy and heat.
Kenyan and Ugandan dishes
are fairly mild, but ginger is
used liberally. Cardamom,
clove, and cinnamon add
their sweet aromas to the
local version of chai tea.
Supporting
Bay, black pepper,
cumin, coriander
Pepper and cumin bring
heat and earthiness to
various blends. Bay and
coriander are added to meaty
versions of pilau, alongside
the standard masala.
Supplementary
Tsiperifery, turmeric,
chilli, sesame
Tsiperifery is a variety of
pepper native to Madagascar,
more pungent and citrusy
than ordinary black pepper.
Crushed sesame features in
Ugandan cooking, often
partnered with spinach.
SPICE
PALETTE
EAST AFRICA
Zingy | Sweet | Fragrant
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