Zanzibar Pilau

Name: Zanzibar Pilau
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Tanzania
Ingredients: 3 cups basmati rice; 1 kg beef or goat, cubed; 2 onions, thinly sliced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tbsp ginger, grated; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp whole black peppercorns; 4 cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 3 cardamom pods; 4 cups beef stock; 3 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee, salt to taste

6 servings20 min prep45 min cookMedium Tanzania

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of Zanzibar Pilau

Zanzibar pilau reflects the island's history as a hub of the Indian Ocean spice trade, shaped by Omani Arab rule during the 19th-century Sultanate of Zanzibar and by Persian and Indian merchants who passed through for centuries. It belongs to the broader pilaf tradition carried across the world by Persian and Arab trade networks.

Ingredients

Scale:· 6 servings

3 cups basmati rice
1 kg beef or goat, cubed
2 onions, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, grated
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
4 cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 3 cardamom pods
4 cups beef stock
3 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee, salt to taste

Instructions

1Toast cumin seeds, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom in a dry pan until fragrant, then grind coarsely into a pilau masala.
2Heat oil in a heavy pot and fry the sliced onions until deep golden brown; remove half for garnish.
3Add garlic and ginger to the pot, then the beef, and brown on all sides.
4Stir in the ground pilau masala and cook for 2 minutes.
5Add stock, cover, and simmer until the meat is tender, about 25-30 minutes.
6Wash the rice and add it to the pot with enough liquid to cook, adding water if needed, and season with salt.
7Cover tightly and cook on low heat until the rice is tender and liquid absorbed, about 20 minutes.
8Fluff the rice, top with reserved fried onions, and serve.

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