Food: Pilau

A proper pilau cooker. 

The top is removed to reveal the delicious pilau. 

Cooks can stir it with a spoon the size of a canoe paddle. 

I've already mentioned this dish in my blog and it's no coincidence that it's one of my favorite Tanzanian dishes. The dish is Indian in origin and symbolic of the rich cultural mixing that has occurred in Tanzania for centuries. Pilau is a rice dish flavored by cooking with beef stock, and adding spices and meat or seafood. The most basic pilau has spices and beef, but other vegetables and meat can be added. The spices are a mix of black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, garlic, and cloves, though the "recipe" can vary. People usually buy a pre-mixed "pilau spice" at the market or supermarket but as you can imagine, the good stuff is "home-mixed".

This is about the most basic pilau you can have. About 1,500 TZS (0.95 USD) worth. 

As mentioned in my earlier entry, pilau is traditionally prepared at Christmas and other special occasions like weddings and birthdays. It's also a traditional dish to have on Sundays. In Moshi, pilau is available at most high end restaurants with local places reserving availability for weekends. It should also be noted that many people prefer to eat it by hand, claiming it to be a "sweeter" eating experience. It's hands down my favorite Tanzanian dish and I haven't even had an elaborate homemade pilau (see below). Hopefully soon...

I'm convinced pilau is the East African version of paella. This pilau is a high-class pilau. 

Another loaded pilau.