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Zanzibari Spice Tea — traditional dish from Stone Town, Tanzania
Drink Vegan

Food Flavour DNA

Nutritional Values

🔥90kcal
💪1gProtein
🌾22gCarbs
🥑—Fat
🌿—Fibre
⚖️250 mlServing

* Per serving · 250 ml. May vary.

Zanzibari Spice Tea

How to order / say it
Say it Chai ya Zanzibar — [Chai yah Zanzee-bar]
Order I'd like the Zanzibari spice tea, please.
Locally Ningependa Chai ya Zanzibar, tafadhali.
Say locally

A fragrant tea brewed with a blend of spices unique to Zanzibar.

Why try it?

A staple in Zanzibar hospitality, this tea represents the island's profound connection to its spice trade history, enjoyed socially across generations.

How it tastes

The tea has a robust flavor with harmonious notes of ginger, cloves, and cardamom. It is aromatic, slightly sweetened, and creamy, offering a comforting warmth.

Origin & History — first documented: 1880

Zanzibari spice tea emerged in the late 1800s, as colonists and traders introduced tea as a social beverage. The locals added their spices, craftily creating this inviting drink.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 🌿 2 teaspoons black tea leaves
  • 🧂 3 cardamom pods
  • 🧂 3 cloves
  • 🥕 1 tablespoon ginger root
  • 🧂 1 cinnamon stick
  • 🍯 to taste sugar
  • 🥕 500 ml water

Method

  1. 1 Boil water with spices until the aroma is released.
  2. 2 Add black tea leaves and simmer for 5 minutes.
  3. 3 Strain tea into cups and sweeten to taste.
  4. 4 Serve hot, optionally with a splash of milk or coconut milk.
All Africa recipes — Tanzania — Zanzibar — Zanzibari Spice Tea
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