Oman dining: Aroma of Zanzibar

Zanzibari cuisine refers to the cuisine not only from the Zanzibar Archipelago, but also from other areas of East Africa such as mainland Tanzania, Burundi, and Rawanda. The fact that this region has been inhabited by a vast number of people over the course of history, ranging from the Bantus, to the Arabs, Indians, Europeans and even the Chinese; their influence is reflected in its food.

Furthermore, as a result of Oman’s well documented historical relationship with Zanzibar, Zanzibari cuisine is extremely popular in the Sultanate. Bora Bora Restaurant, located in Al Mawaleh North, specialises in Zanzibari cuisine. The name Bora Bora is derived from the Swahili word ‘Bora,’ which means ‘better.’ Restaurant owner Nasser Suwaidan Al Hashmi, who spent two years providing a catering service from home, decided to officially open a restaurant.

The restaurant, which attracts a large number of Omanis, as well as Westerners and even Filipinos, has been flourishing ever since it opened. The restaurant’s Burundian chefs specialise in Zanzibari and East African cuisine. Bora Bora also serves Western food, fresh seafood, and grill. With the restaurant seemingly on the up, Al Hashmi intends to open a coffee shop in which he wishes to brew fresh Burundi beans.
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Fried Mandazi
(Zanzibari buns)

INGREDIENTS
• 3 level mugs of plain flour
• 300ml fresh coconut milk
• 3 coffee cups ground sugar
• 1 coffee cup oil
• 2 tablespoons yeast
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon cardamom powder

PREPARATION
• Mix all the ingredients together and beat for some minutes then cover and leave for a while.
• Divide and shape into smooth portions.
• Flatten them with a rolling pin to make a circle of approximately 20cm across.
• Cut the circle into 4 equal triangles or round pieces and (if desired, sprinkle sesame seeds over it).
• Deep fry the mandazi in hot oil one at a time over a medium heat and turning to other side until it becomes goldish-brown.