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Soup Vegan

Food Flavour DNA

Nutritional Values

🔥450kcal
💪12gProtein
🌾45gCarbs
🥑22gFat
🌿11gFibre
⚖️400 gServing

* Per serving · 400 g. May vary.

Zanzibar Coconut Bean Soup

How to order / say it
Say it Mchuzi wa Maharage na Nazi — [Mm-choo-zee wah Mah-ha-rah-geh nah Nah-zee]
Order I'd like the coconut bean soup, please.
Locally Naomba mchuzi wa maharage na nazi, tafadhali.
Say locally

A hearty soup of beans cooked in rich coconut milk.

Why try it?

This soup represents the nutritious simplicity and harmony of local ingredients central to Zanzibari cuisine. With beans as a dietary staple, this dish warms both body and soul, embodying the island's nourishing flavors.

How it tastes

The soup is creamy and satisfying, with a velvety texture from coconut milk blending with starchy beans. It exudes a mellow sweetness, enriched by spices like turmeric and cumin, and is traditionally served hot.

Origin & History — first documented: 1750

Bean soup has been a part of Zanzibar cuisine since at least the 18th century, as beans were a vital protein source. Over time, the addition of coconut milk and spices from the Asian trade routes elevated it to a comforting staple.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 🫘 200 g red kidney beans
  • 🥛 400 ml coconut milk
  • 🧄 1 medium onion
  • 🥕 1 large carrot
  • 🧄 3 cloves garlic
  • 🧂 1 tsp turmeric
  • 🧂 1 tsp cumin
  • 🌿 2 tbsp coriander

Method

  1. 1 Boil beans until tender and set aside.
  2. 2 In a pot, sauté onions, garlic, and carrot until soft.
  3. 3 Add spices, beans, and coconut milk, simmering until thickened.
  4. 4 Garnish with fresh coriander before serving.
All Africa recipes — Tanzania — Zanzibar — Zanzibar Coconut Bean Soup
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