This iconic street food of Tanzania and its archipelago Zanzibar has been influenced by various trade routes passing through East Africa.

The evening air is filled with the ambrosial soundtrack of sizzling meat being grilled, locals crowding the stands and hole-in-the-wall restaurants, to get their charcoal-grilled mishkaki; or bajiyas bobbing in bowls, yellow-tinged urojo, glasses of freshly pressed sugarcane juice lined with ginger and lime or tall glasses passion fruit juice. 

Every street corner, market, and bus station has at least one vendor. It’s hard to explain this cuisine to people who have not experienced it; it is the food of the Indian-East African diaspora, a cuisine borne out of global trade and spices from far away lands.  

It is food defined by not the ingredients, but by the community that congregates after work to enjoy it whilst supporting local vendors.

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 lbs top sirloin beef or ribeye beef cubed
• 2 tsp. Shan Bhihari Boti mix ( this is not part of the authentic recipe but I find it makes the meat tender)
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1 tablespoon garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• 1 tablespoon green chili paste
• 2 tablespoon cilantro paste (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 
• 1 TABLESPOON Papaya paste or 1 ripe kiwi (peeled and blended) (acts as a tenderizer)
• 3 tablespoon white vinegar
• 2 tablespoon tamarind paste or lemon juice

Instructions: 

• Cube the meat into small cubes
• Blend all the spices and pastes
• Add the meat into the marinade mixture and mix thoroughly
• Refrigerate for 12-24 hours
• Skewer meat on metal skewers and BBQ for 12-15 minutes.
• Serve with naan, ambli ni chutney, spicy red chutney and kachumbar